


Hikaru no Joe

by hestialuna



Series: Hikaru no Joe [1]
Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - College/University, Bad Puns, Baristas, Coffee, Coffee Shops, Don't say I didn't warn you, M/M, Unrequited rivalry, did I mention coffee
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-13
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-01-12 05:15:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 31,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1182357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hestialuna/pseuds/hestialuna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the ghost of a coffee-obsessed 18th century Italian barista starts haunting him, Shindou Hikaru tries to get a job at Café Meijin but is roasted during his interview by percolating protege Touya Akira. Afterwards, Shindou vows to prove his potential as a master barista and Touya's rival. The pressure is on!</p><p>But there are many forms of greatness and many paths to the perfect cup. It will take both of them, with their divergent styles, to create the divine brew.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Fresh Brewginning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [caminante](https://archiveofourown.org/users/caminante/gifts).



> It all started with the weird coffee maker that Hikaru's grandfather tried to give him at the beginning of his freshman year at university.

It all started with the weird coffee maker that Hikaru's grandfather tried to give him at the beginning of his freshman year at university.

"It's called a moka pot," he had explained, handing over the clunky metal contraption. "All the other kids in your dorm are going to envy you for being able to make REAL coffee in your room. I used this same one back when I was in grad school and it got me through countless papers and a thesis. It's an antique, but it still works great."

The stout steel pot was shaped like an hourglass with flat hexagon sides and covered in scratches and dinged edges. Hikaru flipped it in his hands, looking for the power switch or an electric cord. "Umm... thanks Gramps, but I don't really drink coffee. I don't even know how this thing is supposed to work."

"You're starting college. You are definitely going to need coffee and this is better than wasting your money on the swill they serve at Starbucks. I'll teach you how to use it later!"

"Shindou-san, I think your phone's ringing!" A slim brunette girl with bright eyes bounded up the attic steps holding a cell phone. Her shiny blue nails perfectly matched the blue symbols on her shirt and skirt.

"Oh, thank you for bringing it to me, Akari. I'll take this downstairs."

Hikaru's grandfather left the attic and Akari crept over to Hikaru, who had just opened the pot lid and was gagging at what he saw.

"What is that? ... Is that for drugs, Hikaru?"

"Um, no, it's some kind of coffee maker that Gramps gave me. I know he's crazy about coffee, but this must be really old. There's all this brown stuff still stuck inside." Hikaru turned to her. "Wait, what are you wearing? Are you seriously going to become a cheerleader?"

"Yep, I can't wait!"

"That is so lame, Akari. Who does cheerleading in college?"

"Ugh, whatever Hikaru. You can't really criticize me when you've been bleaching your bangs the same way since middle school." Akari leaned over him and peered in. "What brown stuff? I don't see anything."

"Are you blind?? Here, look." Hikaru stuck a finger inside and tried to scrape out some of the crust. A burst of light and wind shot out from the pot, knocking him back. The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the small attic. Hikaru shrieked.

"What's wrong?" Akari looked at him curiously. Hikaru frantically pointed at the ceiling.

A tall elegant man, no a gentleman, hovered over Hikaru's head looking delighted with himself. He was wearing a white waistcoat and breeches with violet embroidery and tall black boots. Hikaru gaped and remembered the paintings he had seen in museums of guys with white wigs. Hikaru couldn't tell his age, but his face was pretty enough to pass for a woman... was he wearing makeup?

The gentleman finished admiring his limbs and touched his black ponytail thoughtfully. In a soft puff of mist, it was replaced with a powdered wig.

 _I always wanted one of these._  He chuckled. Hikaru screamed again.

"Okay, now you're freaking me out," Akari stood up and backed away. "This isn't funny!"

"You don't see anything? European dude in a wig floating in the air?? Right there!"

Akari paused and stared at him for several long moments. "... I'm going home, Hikaru. If you're taking stuff you shouldn't be, I don't want to know and also you should probably stop." She quickly disappeared down the steps.

"Akari!!"

 _Buongiorno! You can see me, can't you? I'm so glad to return to the world of the living!_   The ghost clapped his hands and twirled in the air. Hikaru stifled another scream and watched as the white figure slowly blurred into grey. He thought fainting from shock was something that only happened in movies, even as he felt himself crumple onto the floor.

* * *

_Do not worry, I believe I am visible only to you. I exist in your consciousness._

Hikaru tightened his fingers around his mug and tried to look out the window casually, as if there wasn't a voice echoing inside his head and occasionally appearing as a cheerfully-costumed man who was currently floating behind the counter of the coffee shop and sniffing the machines with delight. His body passed through the busy baristas, who seemed oblivious except for a shiver now and then.

"Worry? Why would I worry, I'm just going crazy and seeing a ghost straight from a European period drama, that's all. I don't even  _watch_  period dramas. I don't know how my brain conjured you up."

The ghost floated back to him and smiled. At least he seemed like a nice ghost. Without thinking, Hikaru smiled back. The girl behind him frowned and buried her face behind her book. Hikaru quickly turned to the window again.

He had said his name was Sapiente Francesconi ("I can't pronounce all that. I'm just going to call you... Sai," Hikaru had flatly declared) and he lived in Venice, Italy in the 18th century. He had been a barista at a famous Venetian café and had become a ghost because he was apparently still really obsessed with coffee. Hikaru had trouble understanding this last part, but it wasn't as if anything else about this made more sense.

 _Caffè Florian and the quality of our coffee was renowned for drawing together the most brilliant literary and philosophical minds of my time. Lord Byron, Goethe, Rousseau, Gozzi, the Enlightenment satirist Giuseppe Parini, the writer and poet Ugo Foscolo and the poets and patriots Silvio Pellico and Giovanni Berchet all drank my brews as they discussed and shaped the future of human culture and civilization. In truth, I am surprised that I have not reincarnated back in Italy instead. There must be a good reason why you were chosen. Il tempo ce lo dirà..._ " 

Sai sighed as he looked at Hikaru. Hikaru suddenly felt very inadequate. 

_My spirit could not rest before perfecting my skills. Imagine the revolution I could have helped to create had I mastered my craft!_

"Yeah... this is really interesting and all, but I don't understand what it has to do with me. I don't know any of those people and I don't even like coffee."

 _Oh, Hikaru!_  Hikaru felt his stomach lurch as the contents of his cup churned inside him in response to Sai's anguish.  _But you promised!_

"I know, so stop doing that!"

_I’m sorry, it’s not intentional!_

After the fainting incident at his grandfather's house, Hikaru had a few weeks to get acquainted with his new friend. Classes had started and it wasn't exactly easy trying to meet new people while pretending he didn't hear voices in his head, but Sai did come in handy during the intro literature and history courses.

Meanwhile, Hikaru needed a part-time job and Sai was desperate to be around coffee, so it made sense to  look for work at a coffee shop. Sai had made him sample the coffee from all the cafés in a ten block radius around the school and begged him to apply to this one. They all tasted the same to Hikaru.

This place was really something though. Hikaru could tell why Sai liked it. Somehow, Sai didn't seem out of place here. Japanese coffee shops tended to look the same: brisk, clean, friendly, and a bit utilitarian. Café Meijin had elegant wood-paneled walls with giant watercolor paintings and thick padded armchairs by the windows. There was a comfortable murmur of conversation and sense of time standing still. Hikaru slumped down and tried to let the easy warmth of his armchair and the coffee soothe his frayed nerves.

A young man with long, dark hair pulled into a neat ponytail came over to Hikaru, carrying a clipboard. He was wearing a bright purple argyle sweater vest and Hikaru couldn't tell if he was being ironic or just genuinely had terrible fashion sense. "Hello, I'm Touya Akira. It’s nice to meet you."

Hikaru hastily sat up and beamed. "Hey, you were in my orientation group! So you're a freshman too!"

"Yes, I am," Touya said with a smile.

"I guess you're here to apply for a job too. This place is pretty popular, huh?" Hikaru gestured to the packed tables and long line at the counter.

"Well actually, I work here. Sometimes it's not this busy," Touya chuckled. "I'll be interviewing you today. I'll ask you some questions first and then we’ll do a hands-on test. How does that sound?”

"Oh... sure," Hikaru said sheepishly.

 Touya took a seat across from Hikaru and clicked his pen. "So, can you tell me about your previous barista experience and your brewing strengths and weaknesses?"

Hikaru looked down at his hands and over to Sai, who was eagerly sitting cross-legged on top of the table next to them.

"I haven't practiced a lot yet, but I’m probably pretty good at it."

"You’re probably good, but you haven’t practiced?”

Hikaru glanced at Sai again. “Yeah, I think I really understand the spirit of coffee.”

Sai groaned.

“Okay then… well, we prefer skilled baristas, but we're willing to train sometimes too. Can you tell me why you would like to work at Café Meijin?" Touya sat back with an indulgent and expectant smile.

Hikaru wasn't sure what he wanted to hear. 

"... It's the coffee shop closest to my dorm?" Touya and Sai winced simultaneously. Evidently that wasn't the right answer.

Touya clicked the pen shut and decisively laid it on the clipboard. "It's clear you aren't quite familiar with our establishment and frankly, I'm a bit surprised. Café Meijin received two stars in the Tokyo Michelin Guide and we won Roaster of the Year from Asahi Shimbun last year. Have you even seen our online reviews??"

Hikaru admitted that he had not. He was also starting to feel queasy, probably because Sai was softly banging his head against the wall next to him.

He didn't do much better on the rest of the questions. Finally, they went behind the counter.

"I'm going to prepare an espresso for you and ask you to describe it to me. Afterward, I'll watch you prepare a drink. That will be the end of the interview." 

Hikaru watched as Touya deftly heated a small cup, wiped out a small basket attachment from the espresso machine, and began grinding the beans. His hands moved like a magician's with smooth precision and confidence over the various levers until a steady stream of chocolaty liquid eased into the cup. Hikaru couldn't help but admire his skill while noticing the complete change in Touya's demeanor. His eyes darkened with focus and any hint of a smile was gone, but when the timer sounded, it flickered back on. Hikaru's heart was thumping erratically, probably from all the coffee he had been drinking for Sai.

"Here you are."

"Wow, you seem really good at this! I thought you were new here too!" Hikaru blurted. Touya blushed.

"Of course he's good at it. He's the Meijin's son," said a tall man in a white suit who had suddenly appeared behind Touya. Hikaru blanched under the gaze of his clear blue eyes.

"Meijin is a real person? I thought it was just the store's name."

"Meijin is what they call my father. He owns this shop. And this is Ogata-san, one of our store managers."

Ogata sniggered. "He doesn't even know who your father is? He's the Barista Champion of Japan! Why is he even interviewing here?" Touya gave him a look.

"Shindou, try this and tell me what you think." Touya handed him the small cup.

He took a cautious sip. It was better than what he had tasted in the past, but he couldn't tell why. 

 _Very impressive!_  Sai remarked.   _Especially for his age._

"What should I tell them, Sai?"

Sai happily volunteered his thoughts at length and with enthusiastic hand gestures, but Hikaru could only catch fragments of unfamiliar words. Meanwhile, Touya and Ogata were starting to give him the now familiar side-eye as he waited for his invisible friend to finish talking. He needed to say something quickly before they started thinking there was something wrong with him.

"The, um, crema is really nice. It's the right color, apparently. This is actually the best coffee I've ever had so far. It tastes really strong, but not bitter."

_I said so much more than that, Hikaru! Tell them what I said!_

Hikaru glared at Sai and faked a cough to cover it. Then, in a fit of inspiration, he grabbed a bowl of sugar nearby.

"Actually, if it were me, this is how I would improve it." Hikaru smirked at his own ingenuity as he ladled a big spoonful into the small cup and stirred it in. "I would probably use a bigger cup too so I could add some milk. And maybe some hot chocolate powder. Ahhh, now that's a lot better!"

He didn't notice the looks of horror on Touya, Ogata, Sai, and even some nearby patrons' faces until he put the cup back down.

"Hot chocolate....powder..." Touya wheezed, looking like he might need a shock blanket.

_HIKARU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! APOLOGIZE RIGHT NOW!_

"Geez, I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong?" Hikaru attempted a small laugh. "Well, it's just coffee right? Something to wake you up in the morning?"

Touya had that dark intense gleam in his eyes again, but this time he seemed like he would throttle Hikaru across the counter if there wasn't a burr grinder in the way.

"No, it is not  _just coffee_. Feel my hands." Touya grabbed Hikaru and forced him to trace the pattern of calluses under his joints. Hikaru was weirded out by how surprisingly not weird that was. "I've been training with my father since before I was tall enough to reach the machines without a step stool! Properly brewing coffee requires a painstaking balance between science and artistry. And one day, I will surpass even my father and become the World Barista Champion."

Sai was floating in frantic circles around the coffee shop, causing a ripple effect of shivers through the patrons. He draped himself dramatically across the espresso machine and started wailing pitifully.

_Che pasticcio! I wished so deeply to be here! It reminds me so much of Caffè Florian! Hikaru, why are you ruining everythingggggggg?_

Hikaru felt the bile rising in his throat. In a moment, he would be puking right in the center of this packed coffee shop. He had to think fast.

"Hey, you said I had to make you a drink too, right? I can make you something amazing, I swear! I actually love coffee!" Hikaru stammered. Sai raised his head and looked at Hikaru in relief.

_Yes! Yes, I'll help you make a drink that will surely impress them and redeem you!_

Touya twitched. Ogata's sneer curled even further and he laughed.

"You know what, kid? Sure. Let's see what other great ideas you have."

"He's such a snake, Sai, with creepy snake eyes," Hikaru hissed mentally. "I don't think I really want to work here."

_Please just try. You promised. Hikaruuuuuuuuuu._

"OKAY, OKAY STOP WHINING! And tell me what to do."

_Just relax. I'm going to possess your body._

"WHAT!?!" Hikaru yelped aloud, startling several patrons. This elicited side-eyed glances from Touya and Ogata yet again. "Sorry, there was a mosquito by my ear."

_I’m kidding! But follow my instructions EXACTLY. Pick up a demitasse, the small cup._

Thus began a very strange game of Simon Says, or rather Sai Says. Hikaru walked over to the looming, almost pristinely maintained manual espresso press in the corner, causing Touya to raise an eyebrow. He squinted and groped at the machine until he pulled the lever to heat the cup briefly. He felt like he was having an out-of-body experience while watching his hands stumble mechanically through Sai's instructions.

_Wrong button! The other one!_

_You must grind the beans finer than usual.... yes, stop there!..._

_Good, tamp just a bit more. Now look carefully to check that it is as level as possible..._

_Here is the crucial part. The speed at which you pull the hand press must be faster than usual. On my count... start!... now, stop! Stop! E voilà! Bravo, Hikaru!_

Finally, Hikaru handed Touya the tiny cup filled with an even tinier bit of espresso and let out a relieved breath. All that work for just a tiny bit of espresso?!?

Touya took the cup, started to raise it to his lips, then stopped and put it back down. His face was lowered and his shoulders were trembling.

"What's wrong? Why aren't you drinking it?"

"I know what it's going to taste like!" Touya spat out. "You’ve obviously never touched an espresso machine in your life before today. You insulted my drink and you have ridiculous hair. There is nothing you can prove to me."

Hikaru was incensed. Now _he_ felt insulted, even though it was true that he'd never used an espresso machine before. "You’re one to talk about ridiculous hair! And even my grandpa wouldn't wear that sweater. I didn't even want to work for you guys anyway! I'll take my skills elsewhere and make even better coffee than you, Touya!"

Touya scoffed. "Now you want to be my rival? You'd never catch up to me. I feel more threatened by a jar of decaf Folgers."

Hikaru grabbed his backpack and stormed out of the shop. He strode angrily down several city blocks, not caring where he was going.

_What now, Hikaru?_

He finally stopped in front of a small coffee shop and read the sign:  **Honinbrew**.

"Now it's time to get a job. And this time, I promise you they'll try your coffee."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   1. I cannot sing the praises of my beta, Caminante, far or loudly enough. First of all, I have her to thank for even knowing about coffeeshop AUs!  She has since spent countless hours researching and sending me coffee articles and videos, expertly and meticulously fine-tuning and fact-checking my drafts, brainstorming scenes with me, and even combed through cheesy European travel videos all to support this fic. This even synced perfectly with our vacation to Japan where we visited coffee shops to research for this fic! I don’t exaggerate when I say we have spent hours every day chatting and working on this fic together and I can’t imagine a more supportive beta or friend. Notably, she has endured all my horrible, terrible puns… and there were a latte of them. This project is really a tribute to the best and crackiest parts of our friendship.
>   2. [Caffè Florian ](http://slowitaly.yourguidetoitaly.com/2013/04/top-15-historic-cafes-of-italy/)was founded in 1720 and is the oldest coffeehouse in Italy still in operation. It's fascinating and stunningly gorgeous and I desperately want to conduct some in-person research one day. 
>   3. There really are [Japanese Barista Championships](http://www.scaj.org/activity-en/activity-overview-en). The winner gets to compete in the [World Barista Championship](http://worldbaristachampionship.com/)! The 2007 championship was held in Tokyo, Japan. [Here's a great article](http://baristamagazine.com/blog/?p=5420) about Miki Suzuki, repeat Japanese Barista Champion.
>   4. Just like pro go players, master baristas are ranked as 1-cup, 2-cup, and so on...
>   5. Okay, I'm kidding about that last one.
>   6. For more Hikago + coffee, check out my Tumblr at <http://hestialuna.tumblr.com>
> 



	2. Honinbrew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hikaru begins working at the hip, young coffeehouse Honinbrew and meets his first challenge: the milk steamer.
> 
> _"I learned how to steam milk properly on my first try," Ochi remarked, smirking as he pulled an espresso shot next to him. "It's not that hard."_

"Ow!"

"Shindou! Did you burn yourself again?!? I told you not to heat it for that long!" Waya grabbed the metal steamer pitcher as Hikaru plunged his hand under the tap.

"I learned how to steam milk properly on my first try," Ochi remarked, smirking as he pulled an espresso shot next to him. "It's not that hard."

"You are no help, Sai!" Hikaru hissed as he carefully dabbed his burning palm on a towel. "Also, stop flying around behind the counter. It's really distracting."

_Sorry, I will try to stop. I sincerely wish I could be of use!_

After burning himself for the fifth time this morning, Hikaru was in a sour enough mood to almost drink lemon juice out of spite. They had discovered that while Sai could not feel or move objects, he could smell and taste the same things as Hikaru. This helped in the coffee tutoring but also resulted in Hikaru gaining quite a bit of extra weight as he helped Sai catch up on several hundred years of culinary advancement.

Despite the rocky start, steaming milk was still an exciting change from manning the register, and definitely better than clearing tables and sweeping, which was all Hikaru had been doing so far during his first month at Honinbrew. He watched in envy as Nase carefully poured a frothy white heart on a latte and handed it with a wink to a customer.

Hikaru was glad that he’d ended up at Honinbrew. It wasn't as fancy or as popular as Café Meijin, but the baristas were all around his age, which made Hikaru happy, and serious about making coffee, which satisfied Sai. Unlike Café Meijin, which looked like it came from a musty oil painting, Honinbrew was bright and modern with a high loft ceiling, gleaming metal and wood tables, and a changing gallery of work from a local art school. Behind the counter, there was a large chalkboard circled in fairy lights where the baristas wrote the weekly specials.

He was even starting to like the taste of coffee, but only with plenty of milk and sugar, much to Sai's exasperation. Morishita-sensei, the owner, had decades of experience and was a demanding boss. But unlike a certain purple-sweater wearing coffee snob, he had a sense of humor.

That jerk... Hikaru felt his ears burn with shame as he remembered Touya looking at him with disgust and his own empty boast afterward.

_When do we get to make coffee, Hikaru?_

"I told you I don't know, so quit asking!" Hikaru grumbled. Even if he did want to prove himself to Touya, it was going to take forever at this rate.

_When is it lunch time? Can we please get 'burgers' again???_

"Arghhhhhh!"

"Having trouble there?" Isumi patted Hikaru's shoulder with a sympathetic smile. "It took me a long time to learn how to run the steamer too. You'll get the hang of it. Here, let's try it again."

Hikaru felt his anger diffuse as he watched the ever-patient assistant manager calmly refill the steamer pitcher with cold milk. Isumi had just graduated from college, but he seemed like he was much older. Maybe it was because he was so experienced. Waya had said that Isumi had been working here since he was in high school.

"You have to heat it until it just starts getting too hot to hold, like so. We can practice again after the lunch rush. Could you hop back on the register for now?"

"Sure, no problem!" At least _that_ was something he could do well. Hikaru had discovered quickly that he had a knack for chatting with customers and remembering their usual orders.

"Hey Kaga! Dirty chai?" The lanky, spiky-haired teaching assistant shot him a thumbs-up as he sprawled across a window seat.

"Caramel macchiato with extra whipped cream to go, coming up!" Hikaru quickly scribbled "Mitani" on a paper cup and passed it to Waya.

"Kishimoto, black coffee as usual?"

"Good to see you again, Hotta-san! Large caffe latte?"

"I'll need a double shot today, Shindou-kun. Have to finish this chapter by tonight..."

"Sure thing!"

As Hikaru closed the cash drawer, a motorcycle roared to a stop near the entrance to the coffee shop. A large bearded man slammed open the door.

"BOY DO I NEED COFFEE TODAY!" He strode up to the counter. "HEY KID! What do ya recommend?"

Hikaru gulped and turned to Sai.

_Hmm... how about a large iced Americano with a bit of lemon?_

Hikaru thought that sounded weird, but he followed Sai's advice. As he was leaving, the man came over to Hikaru and gave him a hearty whack on his back. "Lemon, huh? Never would have thought of that, but it sure hit the spot! Name's Tsubaki. Let's go out for lunch sometime, kid! Soba, my treat!"

Hikaru grinned.

Soon the shop was mostly empty, save for a group of students huddled together with laptops. Sai tucked himself among them and watched the glowing screens with fascination. Hikaru eyed the steamer again.

"Okay, let's do this," Hikaru muttered. He squared his shoulders, filled the pitcher, dipped the steamer wand in, and listened to the milk start to hiss. It was just hot milk; this shouldn't be so hard. He felt the cup grow warmer. Just a bit more...

"Shindou!!!"

Touya Akira burst into the quiet shop, causing Hikaru to spill hot milk all over the counter.

Touya was wearing a suit for some reason and it didn't fit him very well. His shoulder-length hair was loose and he was breathing hard. Hikaru realized that he must have been running.

He stood paralyzed, holding the dripping pitcher.

"Touya Akira from Café Meijin?! What are you doing here?" Waya snarled, brandishing a tea towel. "Come to check out the competition?"

Touya ignored him. "Shindou. Is it true that you work here?"

"Err... yes?"

Touya looked around him, confused. "You're working at such a small café, with your skills! Why?"

"Hey!!!" Waya shouted.

"What's it to you?" Hikaru replied hotly. He didn't know what Touya was getting at, but just seeing his face made Hikaru want to punch things.

"Can I talk to you please? Outside?"

Hikaru followed him to a shady patch across the street. They were standing underneath a cherry blossom tree that had just bloomed and the petals wafted softly over them. The wind picked up just as Touya began to speak.

"Your ristretto."

"My what???"

"Don't play dumb," Touya snapped. "How did you make it? The most difficult, unforgiving espresso known for precise control and _restraint_ and for _you_ of all people to... It couldn't have been luck. It's not possible."

The gears clicked into place. Hikaru smirked.

"Ahhhh yes, the ristretto. So you tried it after all? Not as bad as you thought it would be?"

" _Yes_ I tried it, and Ogata-san did too. We were... surprised to say the least. You have to show me how you made it. In fact, I would like to offer you a position at Café Meijin."

Hikaru stretched his arms up, bracketed his hands behind his head, and fully savored the moment as he pretended to think. "Hmm... sorry Touya, but you're too late. I like it here at Honinbrew." He turned to leave.

Touya watched him grimly, or at least as grimly as one could be in a bright lavender suit covered in flower petals. "Wait! At least let me watch you make another one."

Sai really blew his mind, didn't he? That must have been some cup of coffee, thought Hikaru.

Hikaru opened his mouth to retort, but he looked into Touya's fierce gaze and felt it burn through him and to Sai inside the shop. He dropped his arms.

"I... can't do that." Sai could, but he couldn't. Hikaru couldn't even heat milk properly.

"Why not? Oh... I apologize for my rudeness earlier and I acknowledge your skill." Touya looked humbled, but Hikaru couldn't even enjoy it. His ears burned with shame. He was angry, angry at himself, and at Touya and his stupid purple suit, and at Sai for haunting him and making him care so much about a _beverage_.

"Well, you should be impressed. And maybe I'll tell you the secret of it one day." Hikaru forced a shrug and started to walk back.

"So there is a secret! I knew it! You have to tell me, Shindou!" Touya shouted.

Hikaru paused and looked over his shoulder. "Let's just say I used my.... i-meijin-ation."

Touya winced as if physically wounded. Hikaru cackled as he darted back into the coffee shop.

* * *

Storefronts twinkled in the dusk as Hikaru and Sai slowly walked home. Sai looked worriedly at Hikaru. He had not spoken much since Touya's visit, even to him.

"Hey, Sai."

_Yes, Hikaru?_

"When we get back... can we practice making coffee with the moka pot I have? I'll stop and pick up some beans at the store. I should probably buy a proper grinder too."

Sai smiled. Something had changed. He had been wise to let Hikaru speak with the boy alone.

_Of course._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Grande-sized gratitude to my beta, Caminante!


	3. Common Grounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Touya! I'd like to experiment with the tamping speed on his smug face," Hikaru snarled. "Anyway, I can't imagine him making latte art. He has his style, I have mine. I don’t need to copy him." _Or you_ , Hikaru added to himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [made-of-coffee](http://made-of-coffee.tumblr.com/) (best username ever) created AMAZING Hikaru no Joe fan art! FAN ART YOU GUYS. Check out barista!Touya and barista!Hikaru [here](http://hestialuna.tumblr.com/post/77924812586/made-of-coffee-akira-and-hikaru-for-hestialunas)!

"Akari, it's been such a long while! Come in! Are you here to see Hikaru?"

Akari beamed at the petite woman who opened the door. "Good morning! Is Hikaru home? I heard he moved out of the dorms."

Hikaru's mother sighed as she shut the door. "Yes, he said he didn't want to live with a roommate anymore. I'm happy to have him back home, but..." She paused to glance upstairs and lowered her voice to a whisper. "He's been acting very oddly lately."

"Really? What do you mean?" Akari whispered back.

"Well... he's changed. He keeps his door closed all the time and won't tell me what he's doing. I'm worried about him. Do you know if he's picked up some strange new interest?"

"Oh no, I haven't seen him in ages, but I don't think so. Can I go talk to him?"

"Of course, he's in his room. Hopefully he'll talk to you." She gave another familiar, long-suffering sigh as she walked back to the kitchen.

Akari felt a knot of trepidation start to form as she climbed the stairs. Even though they had known each other for years, Hikaru was starting to feel like a stranger to her. They barely saw each other after his weird freak-out in his grandfather's attic before school had started and now the semester was almost over.

She had heard that he was working at a coffee shop, so she wanted to tell him about her new job at Caffeine Haze, the student center shop. She had to admit that she was thinking of him when she signed up. She wanted to tell him about making the cheerleading team too, not that he would care.

As Akari neared the door, she noticed a strong, burnt odor coming from the room and could hear Hikaru speaking loudly. Did he have a visitor? His mother would have mentioned something though.

"Ugh, I'm still trying to figure out the right dosage. It's a bit weak. I feel like it needs more of a kick."

Akari froze. The _right dosage_?

"Maybe I'm diluting it too much. Or I could grind it a bit more to get a stronger hit that way."

There was a pause, and Hikaru laughed.

"Well, Waya said he's keeping a fresh batch of some new stuff that just came in under the counter for me. It's supposed to be a really strong blend. Can't wait to try that out."

His mother's words echoed loudly in Akari's mind as her hand fluttered involuntarily to her chest: _"Do you know if he's picked up some strange new interest?"_

"Alright, time for another shot! Less water this time."

A machine whirred and hissed. "Ugh, I'm starting to feel shaky. This is the last one for today. I don't want my mom asking even more questions."

Akari's heart raced as she heard Hikaru's footsteps approach the door.

" _Yes_ , I'm going to the bathroom again. Some of us have to worry about bodily functions, especially at the rate we've been going," Hikaru snapped as he flung open the door. "Akari?"

Akari was certain that she looked like a fish, as she could do little more than open and close her mouth in horror. Eventually she found her voice.

"Oh my god, _I knew it_. Doses? Hits??? I can't believe you, Hikaru!"

"What? Oh god, Akari, chill out. It's not what you think."

"What else could it possibly be!?! Your eyes are bloodshot!"

"Keep your voice down! Look, I was just talking shop. Coffee shop."

"What? _Coffee_? What are you talking about? Who were you even talking to?" Akari tried to crane her head to see around Hikaru, but he quickly slammed the door shut.

"No one, geez! Uh, I mean, I just… talk to myself sometimes. It helps me to think."

Hikaru's hands were twitching even more now and his eyes looked too bright and alert.

"Coffee. _Right_..."

* * *

_Maybe we should visit her after work. She seemed so upset._

Sai was floating anxiously behind the counter. Hikaru groaned as he grabbed a chilled glass and a container of ice cream from the freezer.

"No way. It was her fault for being nosy again and thinking weird things. And, I even promised to teach her a bit about making coffee, so I already apologized." Hikaru carefully placed one scoop of vanilla ice cream in the glass and drizzled chocolate syrup on top of it.

Sai frowned and floated closer to look at the glass. _"What are you making?"_

"Another genius invention," Hikaru said gleefully. "Watch."

He picked up a demitasse of fresh espresso and poured it over the ice cream.

"I AM BRILLIANT. This is the best thing ever," Hikaru crowed. "I shall call it the 'Shonen Jolt.' What do you think, Waya?"

There was an audible clunk as Waya's forehead hit the counter.

"Affo...affogato!" Waya managed to squeak as he looked at him with that particular blend of suppressed laughter, rage, and shock that only Shindou Hikaru was able to inspire.

"You forgot what?" Hikaru replied irritably.

"No, you fool, you just made an affogato!"

"I did not, I just invented this!" Hikaru said, outraged. He looked to Sai for confirmation. Sai could only smile apologetically.

_I am sorry, Hikaru, but that is indeed an affogato. Although it was rare in my time, since we did not have these ice chests._

"Oh." Hikaru said, visibly deflating.

Waya was still laughing as he clapped Hikaru on the shoulder. "It _is_ a good invention. I love affogatos. I just don't understand how you're able to pull such a good shot, but don’t know what an affogato is. You're one of the strangest people I know, Shindou."

Hikaru laughed weakly.

"Anyway, don't feel too bad. Your groupies are waiting," Waya said, cocking his head towards the group of high school girls who had just walked into the shop. They spotted Hikaru and jostled each other towards him, giggling.

One girl finally went up to him. "Hi, we would all like to order lattes, please. We heard that you're known for drawing on the foam..."

"Sure thing! Do you all want latte art? It doesn't cost extra, but it’ll take some time."

"Oh, we don't mind waiting! And you can draw whatever you'd like!"

"Okay, four lattes coming up then!"

The girls giddily flocked to a table. Hikaru started humming to himself as he warmed up the espresso machine.

"Four lattes, Sai! I wonder if I should do a theme. Seasons? That's boring though."

He looked carefully at the group of girls. Like many students, they had large fluffy key chains attached to their backpacks. He noticed that they all had one character in common. Perfect.

_Whatever you think is best._ Sai was perched by the window, staring outside.

Hikaru frowned, but kept his hands moving. By now, he could pull decent shots on his own. Sai would usually still watch and guide him, but lately he’d been opting to sit by the window instead, sighing to himself. It was just his luck to be haunted by a _moody_ spirit. He knew Sai must be bored, but he couldn't worry about that right now.

Hikaru pulled the first shot a bit too aggressively and over-extracted the espresso. Oh well... he could just add some sugar to that one and hope they didn't notice. Sai gave him a disapproving glance, but didn't move from his seat. Hikaru quickly steamed a pitcher of milk like a pro and poured it into the mug to form a smooth brown canvas. Finally, he carefully scooped some remaining foam from the pitcher onto the latte and used a spoon and a toothpick to start etching a design.

It had only been a month since Hikaru had started making latte art, but he’d already become bored of the usual leaves and hearts. He’d thought he was clever to think of drawing on the foam, but Waya had been quick to burst that bubble too. Everyone acknowledged that Hikaru was particularly good at it though, to the point that he was starting to have _fans_.

Hikaru set the cup aside and quickly got to work on the next three. The designs weren't complicated, but he had to move fast if he was going to serve them while they were still hot. If Sai noticed that he was pulling sloppy shots, he didn't say anything about that either.

Finally, he placed all the mugs on a tray and took a quick photo to add to his special latte art menu:

The girls were ecstatic and flew into a flurry of chatter and camera photos. After cleaning up, Hikaru went over to Sai.

"Hey, how about takoyaki for lunch today? You haven't tried that yet," he asked.

Sai didn't say anything.

"Okay, I get it, you're upset. I'm sorry you don't care about latte art, but I don't really see what the problem is. You can still help me pull the shots. I just want to draw stuff on top of them."

_...I'm not upset about your drawings. But your focus is wrong. We will never create a God Shot if we continue this way._

"'God shot.' There it is again."

Sai turned to him angrily. _Yes Hikaru, the God Shot. That is why I am still in this world._

"Look, I just don't understand the appeal of analyzing the temperature of the cup, or tamping speed, or type of water, or size of the beans, or _whatever,_ and pulling a million shots just to make one perfect cup of espresso. Alright? But like I said, you can make all the shots for me and experiment however you want before I work on the foam. So can you please chill out?"

_"Chill." Exactly._

Sai pointed at the girls who were now getting ready to leave.

_Half of them did not start to drink their lattes until they were already cold. None of them had any significant reaction to the quality of the coffee._

Hikaru huffed. "Well obviously, they didn't buy them for the taste."

_Yes, and you did not notice or care. Hikaru, it is not enough to follow my instructions and pull levers like a marionette. Espresso is not simply a base for foam._

With a hint of a thoughtful smile, Sai continued. _That boy, Touya Akira... he understood. He was correct when he said that making coffee requires passion and is simultaneously a science and an art._

"Touya! I'd like to experiment with the tamping speed on his smug face," Hikaru snarled. "Anyway, I can't imagine _him_ making latte art. He has his style, I have mine. I don’t need to copy him." _Or you_ , Hikaru added to himself.

"Hikaru, you done over there? We need you at the counter," Isumi called out.

Ochi was wiping down the espresso machine when Hikaru returned, still steaming.

"What's on your mind? Not that I care."

"Stupid Touya Akira. I'd like to show him one of my lattes and see him try to do better."

Ochi snorted. "Seriously? Because of your latte art? It's novel, I suppose, but don't kid yourself. Touya Akira is on a completely different level than you."

When Hikaru didn't reply, Ochi casually added, "I heard you interviewed at Café Meijin first and got rejected. I also heard a _ridiculous_ rumor that he tried to offer you a job later."

"Oh yeah, he did. It felt good to turn him down... heh. Thanks for reminding me about that! I feel a bit better now."

Ochi's face turned purple but before he could speak, a pair of women walked into the shop. They saw Hikaru and rushed over to him.

"Good afternoon, ladies. How can I help you?"

"Are you the latte art guy?" one of them asked breathlessly. Hikaru grinned.

"Yes, I am! Would you like to pick out a design for your lattes?" He took out a slim photo album from beneath the counter.

The woman blushed. "Actually, I have a request..." She started to pull a photo from her purse and stopped. "This is so silly."

"Oh come on, Ichikawa, we came all this way already," the other woman slapped her friend's arm lightly.

Ichikawa took a deep breath and handed Hikaru a photo. When Hikaru gaped at it in silent horror for a long moment, she blushed even more. "Please don't misunderstand, he's just a sweet kid who works at the coffee shop by my go salon. He's very fond of coffee, so I thought it would be cute to get him a latte portrait."

Hikaru was no longer surprised that he had a ghost haunting him. He must have lost his mind a long time ago. That was the only logical explanation.

Ochi lost it too. He gave up trying to suppress his laughter and went to hide in the bathroom.

Even Waya noticed that something was up. "Hey Hikaru, what's the... Touya Akira???"

"Is it... is it alright?" Ichikawa asked. "I hope it isn't too strange..."

"Oh no, it's fine," Hikaru heard himself say. "Feel free to take a seat while you wait."

Hikaru felt his shoulders tense as he warmed up the espresso machine. He imagined Touya looking at him in disgust. The last time they'd met, Hikaru couldn't even steam milk yet. He'd improved a lot since then, but still... was he good enough to face Touya now?

Sai had started hovering over his shoulder. Hikaru thought he would be amused, but instead he looked at Hikaru with quiet understanding.

"Sai... you brew," he said.

_Are you sure, Hikaru?_

"...Yes."

Sai selected Honinbrew's darkest blend for Touya, a smoky, intense French roast with a hint of vanilla to balance the steamed milk. His steady voice fine-tuned Hikaru's motions with precise, meticulous instructions. As always, following Sai’s lead made Hikaru feel as if he were playing an instrument for the first time or performing an intricate dance where he didn’t know all the steps.

After Hikaru poured in the steamed milk, Sai quietly stepped back. Hikaru stretched his fingers and confidently picked up a stirring stick. He bent over the latte and stared intently at the photo of Touya Akira.

Strangely, the photo didn't quite look like him. The polite, guarded smile reminded Hikaru of when they had first met at the interview. Hikaru carefully spread a dollop of white foam and began etching the delicate curve of Touya’s jawline and neck. He had surprisingly soft features for someone so intimidating. Hikaru brushed a dab of chocolate syrup to sketch in his eyes and thought of Touya's intense focus when he prepared a shot. What would it feel like to have complete command over an espresso machine like that?

Using the edge of a sheet of paper as a guide, he dusted chocolate powder to fill in Touya's dark ponytail. Finally, he waved Ichikawa over.

"Oh my... he looks different, but more like himself somehow. That's exactly how Akira-kun is when he talks about coffee. Incredible! It's almost as if you know him!" Ichikawa exclaimed.

"We've met before," Hikaru stated flatly.

"Really? Are the two of you friends?"

"No," Hikaru paused. "He's my rival."

"Oh, I had no idea Akira-kun had a rival! He doesn't seem to be interested in people that way," Ichikawa laughed. "You both are so serious about your coffee! It's a shame you two don't play go instead. Thanks again."

She winked and left the shop with her friend. Hikaru slumped onto a stool.

"I'm guessing that one's not going in your latte art menu," quipped Waya. "Even though it's your best so far. You got his cheekbones and everything."

Hikaru graced him with a baleful glare.

_Hikaru... let me make you a drink._

Sai sat on the stool next to him. Hikaru groaned.

"Ugh, I'm exhausted. And if I drink any more caffeine, it's going to make drawing harder."

Sai had a strangely serious expression on his face and Hikaru was too tired to argue.

_First, we will need to melt some Gianduitto chocolate, the hazelnut praline._

Hikaru perked up. "Chocolate??? This involves chocolate?"

Sai smiled. Following Sai's instructions, Hikaru placed a cup of chopped chocolate into a bowl of hot water and set it aside to melt while he frothed a small pitcher of cream and pulled a shot of strong espresso. He looked at the three small cups together and grinned at Sai.

_I suppose you can imagine what comes next!_

Hikaru poured the espresso into a small macchiato glass and layered the melted chocolate over it. Finally, he topped it with a frothy cloud of cream.

He had to marvel at the final result. Sai really outdid himself this time. He couldn't wait to try it. He raised the small glass and took a sip. The dark, bitter espresso slid through the sweet, nutty layer of chocolate and wrapped itself in soft, luxurious foam. Words... were suddenly meaningless. Hikaru took another sip, then another, and stared at the tiny empty glass with a kind of profound, humble reverence that he didn't even know he could possess.

"Did we... did we just make a God Shot?" Hikaru whispered. "Because I believe now."

Sai burst out laughing.

_No, that was not a God Shot. It is called a_ _bicerin_ _, or il bavareisa in my time. The chocolate lovers of Torino invented it as a drink for cold winter days such as this._

Hikaru could only think to say, "But you don't even like chocolate. Or sweet drinks. How could you make this so well?"

_Because I made it for you,_ _caro._

Sai was giving him such a fond fatherly smile that it made Hikaru's heart ache and he looked down at the glass again. The three delicate layers had been elegant and refined, just like Sai. It was a simple, traditional drink with years of history. And yet, it was perfect for Hikaru too.

_Your world is filled with people who drink coffee like medicine. They buy them from the machine boxes on every street like little tins of sugar. Coffee is more than that. It's an art meant to be shared between people. It's the gift of stopping time for a moment, even while you gain the energy to begin the day fresh and renewed._

_Touya Akira has already created a God Shot. So have I. And so has his father. But we dream of the one we will create someday with more skill. A God Shot is simply the best shot of espresso you have ever made. You can't imagine making a better shot, and yet you know it exists in the future. And so you chase after it._

Hikaru nodded slowly to himself, and then gripped the small glass tightly.

"Me too. I will chase after him. I want to be good enough, maybe even better than Touya the next time we meet."

_Him?_

"Huh? Not him, it. The perfect cup of espresso. I bet Future Hikaru is an amazing barista!"

"You should focus on Current Hikaru for now," Waya broke in. "You still have a long way to go."

"Waya!"

"Sorry, didn't mean to interrupt you talking to yourself again. It's cool. I do the same thing with Isumi-san when I'm making complicated drinks, since he's better at them. You know, like 'What Would Isumi-san Do?'"

Hikaru could only stare at him, aghast.

"I saw you making that drink. I'm sorry to have to do this again, but that's actually a---"

" _Bicerin_ , I know, although it used to be called _il bavareisa_ in 18th century Italy," Hikaru cut in irritably and grabbed his jacket. "I'm going to head out for lunch and get some fresh air. See you later."

"Wait! How the hell did you know that!?!" Waya shouted after him. "Damn you, Shindou!!!"

Hikaru welcomed the icy blast of air as he stepped out of the coffee shop. It had started to snow and small flakes dusted over the pavement like powdered sugar. He was buzzing with new dreams and far too much caffeine, and he'd never felt better.

 

**Coming up next in "Hikaru no Joe":**

[Sai's side story: MACCHINA](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1473691)

Chapter 4: The Young Roasters Tournament

 

Fan art by [made-of-coffee](http://made-of-coffee.tumblr.com/)!

|   
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**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   * As always, my thanks to Caminante from the bottom of my over-caffeinated, erratically beating heart for her meticulous beta skills, cheerleading, and also deciding that it was Hikaru’s fate to be a latte artist from the first chapter. :)
>   * Credit for the latte art photo goes to [Kazuki Yamamoto](http://twistedsifter.com/2013/04/latte-art-by-kazuki-yamamoto/). Check out more photos of his amazing 3D latte artistry on his [Twitter](https://twitter.com/george_10g)!
>   * " ** _God Shot_** : A term coined in the newsgroup alt.coffee and popular on the CoffeeGeek website and in some mainstream press, used to describe a shot of espresso that is the most perfect shot you have ever achieved. A "god shot" is a shot so good, it must have been blessed by God. This type of shot can improve as your level of skill improves. A "god shot" from three years ago may be your average shot today." (source: [Coffee Geek](http://coffeegeek.com/opinions/coffeeatthemoment/11-12-2002))  
>   
>  If you thought go was obsessive, coffee is _right_ up there. I didn’t even have to make up a Hand of God equivalent for this AU.
>   * [More information about bicerins](http://www.amoretravelguides.com/blog/torino-italy-bicerin-is-more-than-just-coffee.php), plus photos. 
>   * If there are any latte artists reading this fic, this is my shameless plea for HikaJoe latte fan art. There is nothing in this world that would make me happier. Come on, Touya’s mug in a mug, please make it happen!
> 



	4. The Young Roasters Tournament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The Young Roasters Tournament?” Nase said curiously. “We won this one a few years ago, didn’t we?”
> 
> “And then we lost it to our rival, Café Meijin,” Morishita-sensei said bitterly. “The tournament is in two months. We have to take back the title!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> How has it been months since I last updated Hikajoe!? 
> 
> Sorry this has taken so long, but on the plus side, chapter 4 has turned into chapters 4, 5, and 6! I’ll be posting one per week for the next three weeks. I didn’t mean for it to take so long to update this story, but I’ve written a bunch of other Hikago fic in the interim. If you’re intrigued by the references to Sai’s past in this chapter, please check out [Macchina](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1473691), my Sai-focused prequel to this story. Also, it’s not in the Hikajoe ‘verse, but Caminante and I co-authored [an 11,000 word Waya/Isumi fic](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1593392) to tide you over until Hikajoe wraps up.

_Hikaru, click on the next one! I haven’t seen this one yet!_

Sai waved eagerly at Hikaru, who was reading on his bed, and pointed at the computer.

“How is that even possible? You’ve watched all these videos a million times already,” Hikaru grumbled and pushed the textbook off his lap. Midterms were approaching and he had to pull his grades up.Truth be told, he wasn’t getting much studying done, but Sai’s constant interruptions were making the situation even worse.

Hikaru had felt pretty smug last year when he first got the idea to stream videos for Sai while he worked on school assignments, but it quickly backfired on him. Sai became fascinated with barista videos and Hikaru was weak to any distraction from his homework.

“Oh, you’re right! Looks like he just uploaded this clip today,” Hikaru said as he clicked on the next video in the “Morning Meijin” playlist.

Sai turned his full attention back to the screen.

“You’re welcome,” Hikaru said sarcastically, but he sat down to watch it with Sai as the video started.

Hikaru was subscribed to a Youtube user named “Yanghai555,” who regularly updated several playlists of coffee-related videos from around the world. “Morning Meijin” was comprised of cropped segments from Touya Meijin’s occasional appearances on Asahi Morning News. They mostly just showed Touya Meijin preparing a drink on camera. He rarely smiled or even made eye contact with the audience, but the intense focus and flawless technique of Japan’s Barista Champion generated thousands of views for each clip.

This time, Touya Meijin was demonstrating how to make a cappuccino using a small vintage espresso machine. He carefully inserted the portafilter with a sense of reverence.

“Wow, I didn’t know that’s what espresso machines used to look like. I wish I could try using one of those!” Hikaru exclaimed.

Sai couldn’t hear him. He seemed stunned as he watched the monitor intently.

“The Faema E61 was developed in 1961,” Touya Meijin intoned in a low voice, “With its technical innovations, smaller size, versatility and streamlined stainless steel design, the E61 was an immediate success and is rightly included in the pantheon of the most influential coffee machines of history.”

“Touya’s dad is really something else,” Hikaru said, awed. “No wonder he’s the best barista in Japan. Besides you, haha.”

Sai smiled, but with a sad, distant smile that made Hikaru feel like he didn’t really know him at all. Belatedly, he remembered that Sai had last haunted an engineer who specialized in espresso machines.

“It seems like you two would have a lot to talk about,” he said awkwardly.

Sai’s eyes took a moment to refocus on Hikaru.

_Yes, it would be wonderful to exchange coffee with him someday._

_Somehow_ , he added wistfully.

Hikaru nodded. He felt like he was forgetting something else important…

_Ahhh, Hikaru! Didn’t you trade shifts with Honda today?_

“... Morishita-sensei is going to kill me!”

* * *

“Shindou… there is _no way_ you are putting something that cheesy on our menu,” Waya growled from behind the register as he made a grab for the marker in Hikaru’s hand.

Hikaru swiveled out of reach, finished adding a final exclamation point, and propped the seasonal drinks menu back on the counter next to Waya.

“Too bad, it’s my turn this month! You can change it to whatever boring thing you want next time.”

“ _’Thanks a latte, we chai our best!_ ’? Aren’t the new drink names you made awful enough already?!” Waya snatched at the menu. Hikaru snarled as he tried to wrestle it back from him.

“Why are you two messing around during the morning rush?!” Morishita-sensei scolded.

“Sorry, sensei!” they yelped in unison.

“Shindou, can you switch off with me? I’ll bus the tables,” Nase called from behind the espresso machine and wiped her forehead with her sleeve.

“Another ‘Americano Pie’ set, iced,” Waya said, cringing slightly as he rang up the order. Hikaru quickly prepared an iced Americano and placed it on a tray with a slice of cheesecake.

“Shindou! How many times do I have to tell you not to use so much ice?” Morishita-sensei snapped. “Do it again!”

Hikaru grumbled quietly to himself as he emptied the cup and remade the drink. Once Morishita-sensei retreated to the stockroom, he leaned over to Waya.

“What’s his deal anyway? He’s been like that all week,” Hikaru groused in a hushed voice.

“They just announced the date for the Young Roasters Tournament,” Waya whispered back as he handed change to a customer. “We’ve lost to Café Meijin in the past three major coffee competitions, so I bet he’s fired up about beating them in this one.”

“Coffee competitions? That’s a real thing?”

“Ugh, Shindou, you are so clueless! Yeah, they’re a major way to show that you’re a pro in the coffee world. There’s at least one every year and you compete against other top baristas to win awards and boost the reputation of your shop. Anyway, I’m sure that’s why we have a staff meeting later today.”

“Shindou! Waya! Get back to work!” a voice called from the stockroom. Hikaru darted back to the espresso machine.

_Hikaru! A competition with other baristas? That sounds like so much fun!_

Hikaru grinned at Sai, whose hands were clasped happily against his chest. “Yeah, it does! I wonder who gets to compete from Honinbrew. I guess we’ll find out later today.”

The rest of the morning flew by and the stream of customers finally slowed down to a trickle.

Afterward, Hikaru wearily chugged a glass of water and looked around the shop. It had finally emptied out.

_Hikaru, your espresso shots are becoming much more consistent in quality._

“Yeah? You can tell without tasting them?” Hikaru said, pleased.

_Yes, it’s apparent from the crema and consistency. You’re improving!_

“Staff meeting! Everyone, get together!” Morishita-sensei announced as he pushed several tables together. When everyone had taken a seat, he placed a flyer on the table.

“The Young Roasters Tournament?” Nase said curiously. “We won this one a few years ago, didn’t we?”

“And then we lost it to our rival, Café Meijin,” Morishita-sensei said bitterly. “The tournament is in two months. We have to take back the title!”

“What is it exactly…?” Hikaru asked.

“It’s a competition that’s held every other year exclusively for college-enrolled baristas in Tokyo,” Isumi explained.

“Isumi won it for Honinbrew four years ago!” Waya exclaimed. “It’s too bad you’re too old to compete again.”

“I’m sure one of you will do great!” Isumi said warmly.

“It’ll be harder this time,” Morishita-sensei muttered. “Tengen from Osaka just opened a branch in Tokyo and I heard that they’re competing. Latteria is definitely participating. And Touya Akira from Café Meijin is a college sophomore this year.”

“Sai…Touya will be there!” Hikaru thought, clenching his fist. This might be his chance to face Touya, finally.

“So, who gets to go from Honinbrew? We can only send one representative, right?” Waya asked.

_Let’s go, Hikaru!! We’re going! WE ARE GOING!_

“Arghhh!” Hikaru clutched his head in pain and stumbled upright from his seat. The other baristas stared at him.

“Can I… can I compete?” he stammered.

“Shindou?” Isumi said, surprised.

“Are you kidding?! You’re the newest person here!” Ochi snapped.

“It’s not going to be _you_ , since you lost it last time!” Waya retorted.

“Shindou’s progress has been very impressive… and we’ve never won in the latte art division before,” Morishita-sensei remarked. “Still, I was thinking that Waya might be interested.”

Waya shrugged. “Shindou can do the Young Roasters if I get first dibs on the Net Joe comp this summer."

“Don’t be so soft, Waya!” Morishita-sensei reproached.

“Why do you want to compete, Shindou?” Isumi asked.

“If Touya Akira will be there… I want to prove myself as his rival,” Hikaru declared.

“That’s the kind of intensity I want to see!” Morishita-sensei nodded approvingly. “What do you all think?”

“Everyone else here has had a chance to participate in a competition already,” Nase said, looking around. “Maybe we should give Shindou a shot.”

“That’s fine with me too,” Saeki agreed. “Beat Café Meijin!”

“But he doesn’t have any experience!” Ochi complained while angrily adjusting his glasses.

By the end of the meeting, it was decided that they would hold mock-challenges during periods of downtime as a fun way to train Hikaru for the competition. They started that afternoon.

“Time!” Isumi called.

Fukui slammed a cup of espresso onto the counter.

“I win!” he shouted happily. “I made three shots and Waya only made two.”

Waya groaned as he finished extracting his third shot of espresso. “I just don’t match well with Fuku. He’s too fast.”

“So that’s called Speed Joe?” Hikaru asked.

“Yep,” Waya nodded as he downed the fresh espresso shot. “Each comp has a bunch of events like that. There’s also Blind Joe where you have to use a mystery ingredient, and a Best Espresso Shot round, things like that...”

Sai listened eagerly next to Hikaru as Waya continued his explanation.

_We never had competitions like this in my time. This sounds so exciting! But, do you feel ready to face Touya?_

Hikaru nodded grimly to himself.

“I won’t run away from Touya any longer. I have to chase him with everything I have, or I won’t ever catch up to him,” he thought.

Sai smiled.

After one of Touya’s fans had ordered that latte art of him last year and Sai had helped Hikaru prepare the coffee, Touya sent over an expertly-crafted latte in response with a message written inside the cardboard cup sleeve:

“Why is someone at your level working in a small coffee shop? I know now that I must surpass you to achieve the Divine Brew... can we meet again?”

Hikaru knew that Touya’s serious words were really directed at Sai, but he’d been unable to stop thinking about him. He had been far behind both of them at the time, but he was on the right path. Since then, he’d begun to share Sai’s appreciation for well-brewed coffee and had developed a fascination for the process itself. By preparing dozens of drinks every day and receiving Sai’s guidance, he was excited to know that he was improving with every cup. The better he became, the more he respected Touya’s skill. And as his passion for brewing grew, so did his motivation to rise to Touya’s level-- so that he would look at Hikaru the way he looked at Sai back then.

He had wanted Touya to wait until he caught up to him. Maybe, by now...

“Shindou, are you even listening to me?!” Waya yelled.

“Sorry!” Hikaru replied sheepishly.

By the end of the following week, Hikaru felt like he had a good grasp on the various competition games and had even impressed everyone with his attempt to use salt as a mystery ingredient.

“Salted caramel mocha? This tastes _amazing_ ,” Isumi said delightedly. “And you drew Morishita-sensei on the foam!”

“We stand a pretty good chance against Café Meijin at this rate,” Morishita-sensei chuckled.

One morning not long after, a tall man with thick wavy hair and a brilliant smile stepped into Honinbrew holding a coffee cup. Saeki spotted him first.

“Ashiwara?” Saeki stammered. “What are you doing here?”

“Saeki-kun! It’s good to see you!” Ashiwara replied happily. “Just dropping this off for Shindou-kun.” He placed the cup with a bright purple Café Meijin logo on the counter. “We should have lunch together again soon!”

Hikaru cocked his head when Ashiwara gave a friendly wave as he left.

“... He’s our rival too, right?”

“Of course!” Saeki replied, but without much conviction.

“Is that from Touya?” Ochi muttered, a bit resentfully.

Hikaru pulled the sleeve off of the cup. There was a message written inside: “Come after me, Shindou.”

“Yeah... I’ll just be outside…”

Awhile later, Waya  found him sitting on a bench, angrily sipping Touya’s latte.

“Wow, that bad, huh?”

“No... it’s exactly what I like. Why does it taste so good?!” Hikaru replied miserably and grimaced as he took another sip. “Ugh, he even added just the right amount of melted chocolate to it. That bastard.”

 _"_ Uh huh… _rivals_ ," Waya said as he shook his head in bewildered annoyance and went back inside the shop.

* * *

With only a month left to go before the tournament, Waya and Isumi decided to drag Hikaru out for extra training one weekend.

“Why do we need to train on our days off too?” Hikaru whined. “I’m doing really well with the mini-challenges at work. I even beat Ochi twice.”

“It’s no good just practicing with us all the time. After all, we’re not going to be your competitors. It’s time to take it to the next level,” Waya grinned.

“Oh, we’re here!” Isumi said and folded his map. They had stopped in front of an enormous gleaming coffee shop. “Latteria won the Hokuto Cup last year and they’re participating in the Young Roasters too. It’ll be helpful to get to know your competition better.”

They went inside and grabbed a table facing the counter, where the baristas were busy serving a long line of customers. The spacious shop was decorated with an angel motif in tones of cream and beige and there was a winding staircase that led to the second level. Almost all of the plush, ivory-colored booths were filled with patrons. A lone tree stood in the center of the shop, illuminated by the bright morning sunlight streaming down from a sky window.

Honinbrew looked like a dinky Starbucks by comparison. Hikaru gulped. He was going to compete against these guys??

Sai stopped excitedly flitting through the shop in order to soothe Hikaru’s rapidly mounting unease.

_Don’t be intimidated by the decor, Hikaru! Atmosphere is important, but a shop’s true worth lies in the skill of its baristas!_

There were only two baristas behind the counter, but they worked together with seemingly effortless precision. Hikaru thought the short barista with the bowl-cut hair looked familiar, but he couldn’t recall why. The taller guy with long swishy red hair seemed to be the more skilled of the two; he moved with a smooth, carefree grace that belied the fact that he was making three complicated drinks at once.

Hikaru shot a nervous glance at Sai.

“They’re flashier than us, I’ll give them that,” Waya grumbled.

“Looks like the line is shorter now. Let’s go order,” Isumi suggested.

As they approached the counter, the shorter barista greeted them cheerfully.

“Welcome to Latteria! What would you like to order? We’re running a 1+1 special on cappuccinos this afternoon.”

“Oh no, I only drink cappuccinos in the morning,” Hikaru replied automatically.

Sai beamed proudly. _I trained you well!_

“We’re actually from Honinbrew,” Isumi said with a smile. “We heard that you might be competing in the Young Roasters next month too. Shindou Hikaru will be representing our shop. How about you?”

“Oh, nice to meet you! Yes, we’re competing as well! I’m Hong Su Young. Ko Young Ha will be representing Latteria,” he said, gesturing to the red-haired barista, who nodded at them. 

Hong Su Young stared at Hikaru. Then he narrowed his eyes.

“Wait… I know you! You’re that latte art jerk!” he shouted and pointed at Hikaru accusingly.

“Shindou, what did you do this time?” Waya muttered.

Hikaru suddenly remembered him. “Oh yeah, this kid ran right into me at Honinbrew one day! He just mumbled something weird instead of apologizing properly.”

When he had ordered a latte to go, Hikaru decided to leave a memorable drawing on the foam just for him.

“Not only that, you spelled my name wrong on the cup! My name is Su Young, not Su Dung.”

“That was on purpose, stupid. Serves you right!” Hikaru responded hotly.

“St--stupid?!” Hong Su Young stammered.

Ko Young Ha smirked.

“ _Su Young, is this the guy who drew that hilarious latte art of you? With the---?_ ”

“ _Yes!_ ” Hong Su Young growled. “ _And they said he’ll be competing in the Young Roasters! Against you, Young Ha!_ ”

“ _This childish kid? Oh… that won’t do,_ ” Ko Young Ha looked at Hikaru consideringly.

“Why aren’t you guys speaking in Japanese?” Hikaru complained.

“This is a Korean coffee shop, Shindou,” Isumi explained.

“Huh?” Hikaru replied, confused. “Is coffee even popular in Korea?”

Waya and Isumi exchanged a horrified look. “Shindou…!”

Hong Su Young was quivering with rage. “Seoul has the highest concentration of coffee shops _in the world._ How could you not---”

Ko Young Ha smoothly cut in. “I see how it is.”

“No cappuccinos after morning?” he quoted scornfully. “You’re the outdated, purist type who still thinks that the coffee world revolves around Italy. Sorry to disappoint you, but Italy is weak, just like their espresso. Korea is the true future of coffee.”

“What did you say???” Hikaru screeched. “How dare you insult Sa-- Italy!”

“You heard me. See you at the Young Roasters, not that you’ll be much competition,” Ko Young Ha said in a bored tone. “Good thing Touya Akira will be there so it won’t be a complete waste of my time.”

Hong Su Young turned to Ko Young Ha, his anger momentarily replaced with shock. “ _What are you doing? You studied in Italy last year!_ ”

Ko Young Ha grinned. “ _Don’t get worked up. This is fun. It will be interesting to let him think that I don’t respect the baristas of Italy_.”

As Waya and Isumi dragged an enraged Hikaru out of Latteria, he shook his fist and shouted, “I’ll see you next month, Ko Young Ha! We’ll see whose espresso is weak then!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to [Caminante](http://archiveofourown.org/users/caminante/pseuds/caminante)’s laptop, her apartment, [my Isumi-san coffee mug](https://40.media.tumblr.com/f21227589dd1578a3d9b94a7beba257a/tumblr_n637y3A4DW1qfkr0zo1_500.jpg), and makgeolli! And the lovely beta herself for patiently helping me to pull three chapters in one shot!
> 
> Congratulations to Hidenori Izaki of Maruyama Coffee of Nagano, Japan for [WINNING the World Barista Championship this year](http://sprudge.com/hidenori-izaki-japan-wins-2014-world-barista-championship.html)!! “This is the first win for a Japanese competitor on the World Barista Championship stage, and also the first win for a barista competitor from Asia.”
> 
> In case you were wondering, Latteria is a pun on [Lotteria](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotteria), the most popular fast-food chain in South Korea. :)


	5. A Victory By Any Beans Necessary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I will now introduce the mystery ingredient for Blind Joe.” Touya Meijin placed his hand on the lid of a covered platter.
> 
> In the otherwise silent arena, hundreds of seats creaked in unison as the spectators breathlessly leaned forward to watch.

Hikaru arrived at the Tokyo Big Sight convention center in Shinjuku wearing his Honinbrew uniform extra early on the long anticipated morning of the Young Roaster's Tournament. The competition wasn’t taking place until later in the afternoon, but he wanted time to explore the exhibition hall with Sai.

_There are so many booths! I want to see them all!_

Sai was ecstatically floating among the booths while futilely trying to avoid passing through people. The crowds were as thick as in a Tokyo subway car during rush hour, but Hikaru managed to push his way forward to sample specialty coffee and snacks from several vendors.

There was no way he would be able to see everything, but he was glad to get through a large part of the exhibition hall by the start of the afternoon. His heart was racing, and he wasn’t sure if it was from all the coffee he had consumed or the excitement of the event.

“Sai, I had no idea coffee was this popular in Japan!” Hikaru said.

“Sai?” He whirled around and felt a flash of panic. Where did Sai go? It was hard to see through the crowd, but he thought he spotted a glimmer of white by one of the espresso machine displays. He made his way over and found Sai smiling wistfully at the espresso machines in the Faema Company’s booth.

“Sai…?”

Sai slowly took his gaze off the machines.

_Angelo didn’t invent the espresso machine, but his innovations completely revolutionized it. He would have been thrilled to see how far his designs have come._

Hikaru was startled. Sai hardly ever talked about Angelo, the engineer he had haunted before Hikaru. He wanted to ask more questions, but he didn’t know how to talk about it.

“Hey, I think it’s time to head over to the competition area. We should go there early to get used to the set-up,” Hikaru said cheerfully.

… _Oh, of course! Let’s go!_

To their surprise, the competition was being held in a small arena with rows of benches surrounding an elevated stage in the center. The seats were already filling up with eager spectators. Hikaru nervously walked onto the stage and stood at the table labeled “Honinbrew.” The table was stocked with neatly marked canisters of a variety of beans, a deluxe burr grinder, coffee cups of all sizes, and a cooler filled with ice and milk. A small vintage-looking espresso machine loomed in front of him. It had gleaming chrome sides and a bright red back-lit display.

_The Faema E61... Legend?!_

Hikaru whistled. “Yeah, Faema is sponsoring this competition, aren’t they? This is _much_ nicer than anything we have at Honinbrew!”

Another competitor was there early as well; a tall, thin guy with spiky platinum hair stood scowling at the table marked “Tengen.” Hikaru greeted him with a nod.

The tables marked Latteria and Café Meijin were still empty.

“Reminder! All competitors should thoroughly inspect their equipment prior to the start of the event,” an announcer stated over the loudspeaker.

Hikaru stood in front of the espresso machine and tried to take deep calming breaths, but his hands were balled up and shaking. How could he be this nervous before the competition even began? This was bad!

“Hey, Hikaru!”

He turned to see Akari waving from the stands. To his surprise, she started clamoring down the stairs towards him.

Hikaru was about to shoo her away, but Sai stopped him.

_I think talking to her might help you calm down._

She stopped in front of him, beaming. “Bet you didn’t expect to see me here! Your mom told me about it. I can’t believe you’re good enough to be in competitions already!”

“Geez Akari, you didn’t have to come,” Hikaru said, embarrassed.

“... Well, I can see that you’re busy,” she huffed and began to turn away.

“Wait, sorry. Thanks for coming all the way here. I’ll make you a drink. I have to test the machine to make sure it’s all working anyway.”

Akari’s eyes grew wide and she nodded eagerly. “Really? Sure!”

Hikaru took a deep breath and lifted the lid from the grinder. Muscle memory began to take over, calming his nerves. From tutoring her once at her college coffee shop, he remembered that she liked light, fruity roasts with a dash of steamed milk. Akari watched open-mouthed as Hikaru deftly prepared a fragrant shot of espresso and stained the top of it with just a bit of foam.

Akari took a sip and sighed contentedly. “This is really delicious. You’re going to win for sure! You should come by Caffeine Haze again and I’ll make hot cocoa for you. You still like that, right?”

Hikaru laughed. “Yeah, still do! I’ll teach you how to make a perfect mocha too.”

“All competitors have now arrived! We will begin the opening ceremony shortly,” the loudspeaker blared.

Hikaru looked up and caught Touya Akira’s gaze immediately. The interviewers in all those local coffee blogs and magazines he followed always described Touya as quiet and polite, but the Touya standing before him today was all razor-sharp focus and blazing intensity and Hikaru couldn’t look away. His breathing grew faster as Touya began to walk determinedly towards him.

Akari looked back and forth between the two of them and placed her empty cup back on the table. “Well, sounds like it’s going to start soon. Good luck, Hikaru! I’ll be cheering for you!”

Hikaru didn’t seem to hear her. She smiled ruefully and began climbing back to her seat.

Touya stopped in front of Hikaru's table. His green eyes were shrouded by his bangs, but they nonetheless burned fiercely at Hikaru. Dimly, Hikaru noticed that Touya was wearing a hideous purple polo with the Café Meijin logo emblazoned on it.

“Touya… it’s been awhile,” Hikaru said.

“One year and seven months,” Touya replied, narrowing his eyes.

“That long, huh?” Hikaru grinned. “Today it’s my turn to show you my strength.”

“That’s also what I want to know.”

Touya’s expression softened momentarily. Hikaru felt his cheeks grow warm as he looked at Hikaru questioningly. Then he blinked and abruptly turned to walk back to his table.

“What was that all about?” Hikaru wondered.

“Welcome to the Tenth Young Roaster’s Tournament!” a voice boomed over the loudspeaker. A smiling man with glasses stood at the center of the stage with a microphone. “Five of the best coffee shops in Tokyo will be competing in a variety of categories to ultimately win the title of Young Roaster. I am Shirakawa Michio, head instructor at the ShidouJoe Institute. I would especially like to thank the renowned Italian espresso machine manufacturer, Faema, for sponsoring the Young Roaster’s Tournament this year.”

“I’m honored to welcome back Kuwabara-sensei, who will once again serve as Head Judge and also as Sensory Judge. Known for his years of experience and ‘sixth sense’ about coffee, Kuwabara-sensei is the president of the Brewsaku Import Company, which oversees the distribution of Faema products in Japan.”

Despite his wizened appearance, Kuwabara-sensei peered at the row of young baristas with a knowing, mischievous chuckle.

“Welcome to The Young Roaster’s. It has been my privilege to support the growth of the coffee industry in Japan. I believe I also possess a sixth sense for talent. I wonder which of you most truly embodies the spirit of coffee.”

His gaze fell on Touya Akira and then lingered on Hikaru for a moment.

“Scary!” Hikaru thought to Sai.

Shirakawa-sensei continued. “Kurata Atsushi is a previous Young Roaster’s champion and the head of the Kurata Roast Company. Kurata-sensei will serve as our Technical Judge this year.”

A portly man with a bright grin stood up and gave a thumbs-up to the crowd. “I’m glad to be here to judge the new wave of top young baristas! I’ll soon be releasing the new _Kurata Signature_ _Blend_ , so fans of Kurata, look forward to it!”

“And now for our competitors! Only college-enrolled baristas are eligible for this event, so we are excited to see the creativity and energy they will bring to the table!”

“Starting from my right, we have Zhao Shi from the Chinese coffee & tea shop, Pachina. Next, we have Yashiro Kiyoharu from the Tokyo branch of the Kansai coffee chain, Tengen. Ko Young Ha is serving as the representative for the Korean chain, Latteria. Shindou Hikaru will represent Honinbrew, a local favorite among university students. And finally, we have Touya Akira, who will represent the defending champion, Café Meijin. As many of you may know, Touya Akira is the son of Touya Kouyou, also known as Touya Meijin, the current Japanese Barista Champion.”

Zhao Shi beamed in response to the audience's applause. His cherubic smile caused them to cheer even louder. “I am very grateful for this opportunity to compete with the best coffee shops in Tokyo while I’m studying here in Japan. I look forward to learning from you all!”

With his bleached, spiky hair and spray-painted tank top, Yashiro contrasted sharply with Zhao Shi, who was wearing a neatly pressed suit with a prim rosette.

“Tengen is known for our bold, experimental approach to coffee and for inventing new ways to enjoy espresso,” he announced brusquely. “I’m proud to represent the Kansai region and introduce Tengen-style coffee to Tokyo.”

Next, Ko Young Ha stood up and smiled.

“Thank you for this chance to share Latteria’s commitment to quality coffee. As you all know, South Korea is one of the largest coffee consumers in the world. To my competitors today, I would like to say... _I look forward to honoring the great legacy of Italian coffee through both of our countries_.” He smirked at Hikaru before bowing and returning to his seat.

“He said Italy! Did that bastard just insult Italian coffee in Korean?!” Hikaru thought.

“Shindou-kun?” Shirakawa-sensei prompted.

Hikaru felt his nervousness dissolve into anger. He stood up quickly, knocking his chair backward.

“I’m proud to represent Honinbrew, the BEST coffee shop in Tokyo,” Hikaru declared loudly. He frowned at Ko Young Ha and Touya as if daring them to disagree. “I look forward to honoring the _great_ legacy of _Italian_ coffee here in Japan.”

Ko Young Ha grinned widely and winked, enraging Hikaru further.

When it was his turn, Touya bowed and smiled politely at the crowd. “Thank you. I hope to represent Café Meijin to the best of my ability and to defend our title.”

“It’s great to see so much passion about coffee!” Shirakawa-sensei exclaimed. “Let’s begin! The baristas will be given an individual score for each event and their cumulative score will determine the winner. Each drink will receive both a technical and sensory score.

“Thanks to Faema’s generous sponsorship of this event, each barista will be using one of Faema’s E61 Legend espresso machines. The E61 Legend is the new commemorative semi-automatic version of the classic E61, which, as many of you may know, changed the future of espresso machines when it debuted in Italy in 1961.

Now, on to the challenges! Our first event is called Speed Joe. Competitors will have three minutes to produce as many quality espresso shots as possible.

Baristas, are you ready?!”

The other baristas quickly positioned themselves at their grinders with their hands poised tensely over containers of fresh coffee beans. Hikaru was still busy glaring at Ko Young Ha.

_You too, Hikaru! Get ready!_

“Ack!”

A buzzer sounded.

In his haste, Hikaru dropped and cracked one demitasse and spilled his first drink. By the time the buzzer rang again, he had just inserted the portafilter to start a second shot.

He looked around frantically. Every other table had at least two cups ready. Touya and Yashiro were tied with four each.

_Don’t worry, it’s only the first event! Don’t let it upset you!_

The judges walked over to sample the shots and assess the quality.

“Well, it’s a decent shot. You just needed to make three more,” Kurata-sensei chuckled. “First competition jitters?”

Hikaru hung his head.

“Tell you what! If you win the next event, I promise to sign a mug for you. An autographed pro roaster Kurata Atsushi mug! How’s that for motivation?”

Hikaru slowly lifted his head and smiled weakly. “Erm… thanks for the offer.”

_Look! Your friends came to see you!_

Hikaru looked up to see the Honinbrew crew waving at him from the stands. He dreaded Morishita-sensei’s reaction to his first event, but he was busy glaring at someone to his left. Hikaru recognized Ogata and Ashiwara, so it must be the group from Café Meijin. He was surprised to see that Touya’s father wasn’t there.

He needed to concentrate! Hikaru took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His heart was racing with adrenaline and his hands felt numb and unsteady. He had practiced for all of these events at Honinbrew, but making coffee in front of so many people made him feel incredibly shy and timid. He wasn’t used to feeling that way at all.

Touya went first in the next event, Best Espresso. Hikaru had actually only seen Touya prepare coffee once, at that terrible job interview at Café Meijin that felt like a lifetime ago. Hikaru knew enough about coffee now to truly appreciate Touya's technique. He also noticed that Touya's elegant, precise movements echoed his father’s on all those videos he had watched with Sai. Touya was only the same age as Hikaru though. What was it like to possess that much confidence and skill?

Noticing Touya staring just as fixedly at him when it was his turn oddly helped Hikaru to regain his focus. He couldn’t even hear the crowd when he met Touya’s eyes. He prepared a shot that was like any one of the hundreds he had made at Honinbrew. It wasn’t a God Shot or anything, but it represented his skill well. He could be proud of it.

The next event, Best Cappuccino, seemed to pass by in an instant as well. Once again Hikaru felt confident in his brew, but Touya and Ko Young Ha won each event respectively.

When they announced that Best Latte Art would be next, Hikaru grinned.

Each barista prepared their latte art one at a time. Zhao Shi poured a swan while Ko Young Ha used melted chocolate and a needle to create a geometric etching. Yashiro managed to accomplish the difficult feat of pouring a delicate rosetta in a macchiato.

When it was Touya’s turn, he carefully steamed cold milk after preparing a shot of espresso. On the projector screen, Hikaru could see that the milk had the velvety smooth sheen ideal for latte art. Angling the cup toward himself, Touya effortlessly began a complicated free-handed pour. The arched back of a fierce creature began to form, followed by sharp teeth and a long tail.

 _Will this one turn out to be a tiger or a dragon?_ Sai smiled to himself.

“An _excellent_ free-handed pour from Touya-kun!” Shirakawa-sensei said as the audience loudly applauded. “Finally, we have Shindou-kun, who has made quite a name for himself as a popular latte artist! What will he show us today?”

Hikaru cracked his knuckles and got to work.

“... Shindou-kun has just prepared _two_ lattes next to each other. The foam is very dry, drier than usual for cappuccino. What could he be planning?”

Hikaru ladled generous mounds of foam into one cup and over the edge into the next cup. Shirakawa-sensei's commentary was soon drowned out by noisy speculation from the crowd, but Hikaru was too focused to notice. He added the finishing touches: whiskers and two outstretched paws.

“... 3D latte art! A first ever at the Young Roaster’s Tournament!”

It was some time before the thunderous applause from the audience calmed down.

Kuwabara-sensei clucked approvingly at the integrity of the foam and squinted at him thoughtfully. “I have a feeling about you, kid. You’re one to watch out for. You and the Meijin’s son.”

The old man then peered over Hikaru’s shoulder. Sai yelped.

_Can he… can he see me??_

“Hmm…” Kuwabara-sensei murmured and walked back to the judging area.

“Shindou Hikaru wins for Best Latte Art!” Shirakawa-sensei announced.

Sai still seemed to be recovering from Kuwabara-sensei's scrutiny, but Hikaru couldn’t let himself get distracted. As far as he could tell, he’d received the lowest score in Speed Joe, the highest in Latte Art, and done decently otherwise. At this point, he had to get the highest score in at least one more event to even have a shot at winning.

It was hard to focus though, with Touya looking like he wanted to chuck his portafilter at his head. Hikaru didn’t understand why he seemed so angry with him.

“Our next event is called Blind Joe! Each barista will use a mystery ingredient to prepare an espresso-based drink anonymously. I would like to introduce a special guest judge for this event…” Shirakawa-sensei gestured behind him and a man stood up and approached the stage.

Hikaru instantly recognized him from Sai’s favorite coffee video series. He was tall and imposingly dressed in a traditional hakama and kimono. To his side, he heard Sai gasp.

“To those who know coffee, Touya Meijin hardly needs an introduction. Many of you may recognize him from his popular appearances on Asahi Morning News,” Shirakawa-sensei continued. “As the longest running undefeated Japanese Barista Champion, Touya Meijin represents the best Japan has to offer the world of coffee.”

After a long round of applause, Touya Meijin took the microphone and gave the crowd a rare smile.

“Thank you for your kind words, Shirakawa-sensei, but I must disagree. Our country has long been renowned for the art of tea, not coffee. My generation was inspired by the master baristas and roasters of Italy to study coffee and create our own style. The young baristas you see before you today will truly perfect _Japanese_ coffee to the point that no one will question Japan’s place. I look forward to trying their coffee today.”

It was a long speech from someone who usually let his skill speak for itself. Hikaru clenched his fists excitedly. Someone like Touya Meijin was going drink _his_ coffee!

“I will now introduce the mystery ingredient for Blind Joe.” Touya Meijin placed his hand on the lid of a covered platter.

In the otherwise silent arena, hundreds of seats creaked in unison as the spectators breathlessly leaned forward to watch.

Touya Meijin slowly lifted the lid to reveal a bowl of coal-black coffee beans.

“This is a specialty blend I have personally prepared called the Roast of Profound Darkness. You will have seven minutes to craft a drink that highlights the attributes of this roast.”

As he spoke, assistants came to each barista’s table and delivered a small bag of the dark beans.

Sai suddenly stood in front of Hikaru. Hikaru had sometimes seen this look of intense focus when Sai was trying to help him prepare a particularly complex drink, but he’d never had it directed at him before.

_Hikaru. Please let me brew._

“What?!” Hikaru exclaimed aloud, causing Shirakawa-sensei to frown at him.

“Are you kidding me? This is a public tournament!” Hikaru thought angrily. “I can’t let you brew with all these people watching! Touya and his dad are here. Not only him, but everyone I work with too.”

_This may be my only opportunity to let him try my coffee and see his reaction! Someone on his level will be able to truly understand my skill._

“That’s _exactly_ what I’m afraid will happen!!”

_Please, Hikaru! I must be the one to face him! And with this Faema machine!_

“You’re not the only one who wants to show off his strength! Were you this selfish with the engineer guy too?!”

Sai looked stricken. Silently, he stepped away. Hikaru was about to apologize when the horn sounded, signaling the start of the Blind Joe round.

All around him, grinding machines whirred into action. Hikaru hesitantly opened the bag containing the Roast of Profound Darkness and took out one dark bean. Hikaru had never seen coffee that looked this thoroughly burnt before, but it didn't seem charred. When he skeptically held it to his nose, it had an intense, smoky aroma, but he could also detect a slight hint of something sweet and floral. He put the bean in his mouth and chewed it experimentally. The flavor was incredibly rich, like an earthy combination of smoked pine, black tea, and a hint of jasmine.

 _Only a master roaster could balance those strong flavors so elegantly_ , Sai said wistfully.

Hikaru measured out the beans and began to fill the grinder, but his hands were shaking so badly that he spilled some. He couldn’t ignore Sai, who was looking more dejected than Hikaru had ever seen him before. Sai hadn’t seemed right ever since they left that Faema booth in the exhibition hall. It’s true that this was a rare opportunity…

Hikaru sighed. Sai’s skill would definitely blow all these college kids out of the water. But what if… what if he put Sai’s drink in the wrong kind of cup? Making such a rookie mistake might prevent them from perceiving Sai’s true strength.

Sai had already begun to stand up and turn to him hopefully.

_Yes! I can brew like that!!!_

“It’s fine with me if you’re alright with it,” Hikaru muttered. “But you’d better move fast because we only have five minutes left.”

Sai stood radiantly in front of the Faema machine.

_That will be plenty of time! Hikaru, fill the grinder and stop **exactly** when I tell you to stop._

Sai was extra precise with his instructions and Hikaru struggled to keep up, knowing that he must be jerking around like a bizarre robot. Sai normally encouraged Hikaru to feel the flow of the steps, but there was no time. The espresso finished extracting and Hikaru looked down at the tiny dark cup. The crema was a smooth reddish brown, something he’d never seen before. He wondered for a moment if he had made it wrong, but when he lifted it to his face to breathe in the scent, he had to fight against the irresistible impulse to consume it immediately.

“Sai… is this…?”

“Possibly. He will know,” Sai said with his eyes locked on the Meijin.

“30 seconds left!” Shirakawa-sensei called out.

“I’m sorry,” Hikaru whispered as he picked up a 12-ounce latte mug. Bracing himself, he quickly dumped the double ristretto into it and instantly felt nauseous. The unusual red crema burst upon impact and disintegrated into the cavernous cup.

Shirakawa-sensei went around collecting the drinks. When he came to Hikaru’s table, he frowned. Hikaru couldn’t look him in the eye.

“What is your barista alias?” he asked kindly.

“Sai,” Hikaru replied.

Shirakawa-sensei wrote “Sai” on a small placard and placed it alongside the drink.

The five drinks were neatly assembled on a long table. Touya Meijin began to sample each of them.

“Beautiful microfoam, but the espresso was over-extracted by two seconds,” he remarked on the hazelnut latte by “Yuanyang.”

“Very interesting pairing. The honey highlights the subtle floral notes in the roast,” he murmured after trying the cup labeled “Maxim.”

“This was an attempt to balance the bitterness of the roast with condensed milk, but unfortunately, the result is cloying and undrinkable,” he said of “Kansaibean.”

“Adding a hint of orange to the iced Americano restores the acidity lost in such a dark roast. Well done, ”Doutor.”

Finally, he picked up Hikaru’s giant latte mug and couldn’t conceal the shadow of disgust that passed briefly over his face.

“A double ristretto… in a latte mug?!” Touya Meijin muttered, but his voice echoed loudly through the arena from the speakers. “Whoever made this should not consider himself a barista.”

The crowd began to murmur. The other baristas frowned at each other in confusion. Sai didn’t seem fazed at all. He waited for the Meijin to drink.

Touya Meijin’s expression shifted to surprise as he lifted the mug to his face. He took a careful sip and then another.

“Touya Meijin? Your thoughts?” Shirakawa-sensei inquired.

The Meijin was not to be deterred. His eyes were closed as he savored the tiny bit of coffee. They slowly opened when he finished.

“Who is ‘Sai’?” he insisted. “I must know.”

“We… We will reveal the identities after all scores are submitted,” Shirakawa-sensei stammered. Touya Meijin quickly scrawled on the voting sheet for Hikaru’s drink.

Shirakawa-sensei nodded. “The winner of Blind Joe is... Ko Young Ha!” He went on to reveal the identities of each barista in turn.

Touya Meijin stared intently at Hikaru, who was the last to be revealed.

“Finally, Shindou Hikaru was ‘Sai.’”

Hikaru felt hundreds of eyes on him, judging him, and fought the impulse to run.

“We will hold a ten-minute intermission before our final event, the Signature Drink presentations! Thank you for your patience and please look forward to the exciting finale!”

“Man, what the hell were you thinking? Even I’m not that reckless,” Yashiro snapped at him as they left the presentation area. Before Hikaru could respond, Touya Meijin appeared before him.

“Shindou-kun.”

“Touya Meijin! I—”

“I don’t know why you did that, but you can’t hide what you have,” the Meijin said in a low voice.

“Huh?!” Hikaru gasped.

“I look forward to the next time you brew for me someday. _Without_ any gimmicks.”

_Yes... someday._

Hikaru could only numbly nod. After Touya Meijin walked away, Hikaru quickly fled the arena and ducked into an empty hallway.

 _Where are you going!? We only have a few minutes before the next event!_ Sai shouted as he followed him.

“Even if it’s just a few minutes, I need to get away!” Hikaru leaned against the wall, covered his face with his hands, and groaned. “Ugh, that was bad! That was really, _really_ bad. What were we thinking?”

_Hikaru, when is “someday”? When can I brew for him again?? And drink his coffee?_

“How can I answer that?!” Hikaru snapped. “Don’t you get that this was an important opportunity for me too?! I looked so stupid out there! Any chance I had of winning is probably gone now because of your selfishness. Not only that, Touya Meijin still saw your strength through my trick! Good thing he didn’t announce that to everyone!”

… _You’re right. I’m sor—_

“Shindou!”

Someone was shouting his name. As the sound of footsteps grew closer, Hikaru nervously walked to the end of the hallway and turned the corner to find Touya Akira standing in front of him, panting and wild-eyed.

“Touya?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The information quoted about the Faema E61 espresso machine came from [this Smithsonian article](http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-long-history-of-the-espresso-machine-126012814/) and [Coffeebrewers.com](http://www.thecoffeebrewers.com/inoffae61one.html).
> 
> My lovely beta Caminante and I both wrote stories for the [Hikago Rare Pairs Exchange](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hikagorarepair2014/works)! Go see if you can spot us before the anonymous period ends.
> 
> If you were intrigued by the latte art examples referenced in this chapter, check out the photos in this [latte art guide](http://weburbanist.com/2010/04/15/designer-baristas-50-incredible-works-of-coffee-latte-art/). (Thanks to Caminante for finding the best latte art website, and also for fixing everything in this fic. :D)
> 
> [Here's a video of Hikaru's winning 3D cat latte art](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giZH4ZBfBWY), which was actually made by coffee artist [Kazuki Yamamoto](https://twitter.com/george_10g/status/336035990726660097/photo/1). Also, here's Touya's “[fierce creature](https://www.flickr.com/photos/fivesensescoffee/3790586589/in/photostream/)” latte art. Because, duh, Spirited Away.
> 
> If you think you can match each barista with each alias from the Blind Joe round, leave me a comment below!


	6. Closing Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Long strands of dark hair had escaped from Touya’s ponytail and fell around his face haphazardly, but he didn’t seem to notice. This time, he was looking right at Hikaru. Not Sai.

Long strands of dark hair had escaped from Touya’s ponytail and fell around his face haphazardly, but he didn’t seem to notice. This time, he was looking right at Hikaru. Not Sai.

Touya clenched and unclenched his hands as if he were struggling to find the right words.

“Stop messing around!” he finally exploded.

“…What?” Hikaru said blankly.

 _Hikaru is doing no such thing!_ , Sai retorted.

“I’m not messing around!” Hikaru objected. “I’m trying my best!”

“How can you possibly say that? I’ve seen your ability. You should _easily_ be fighting for first place in any of these events instead of making amateur mistakes! Why are you brewing like you’re a completely different person?”

Hikaru froze. He wasn’t even sure which part of that stung the most.

“But, somehow your ristretto affected my father that strongly,” Touya continued. His voice rose again and his face flushed red. “Who are you, Shindou?!”

Hikaru had no response but to stare miserably back at him.

“For a moment… I thought I saw the Divine Brew in you,” Touya said.  His eyes seemed to dim as he looked past Hikaru.

In the distance, a voice announced that the final event would start shortly. Touya turned and began to stride purposefully back into the arena. Hikaru found his voice.

“Touya!”

He paused.

“If you keep chasing my ghost,” Hikaru shouted, “the real me is going to catch up to you someday!”

Without turning around, Touya responded. “Someday? Why not today? What’s holding you back, Shindou?”

When Hikaru didn’t answer, he kept walking.

* * *

_“I’m not Sai… but I’m doing my best to be me. Why isn’t that enough?”_

Since Sai inhabited Hikaru’s consciousness, he could sometimes hear a thought echo if Hikaru wasn’t being careful. Sai watched as Hikaru’s expression faded from anger to raw hurt and confusion. His emotions were usually transparent— he had strong reactions to nearly everything and they shone clearly on his face— but every so often, he became completely unreadable.

The shift always occurred subtly like the silent closing of doors. Even in the dim light of the corridor, Sai saw Hikaru’s eyes lose their stunned gleam and narrow slightly instead. His shoulders drew back almost imperceptibly. He nodded to himself as if affirming a resolve that Sai couldn’t hear.

_Hikaru?_

Hikaru strode wordlessly into the arena.

When he arrived at his station, Shirakawa-sensei was explaining the rules for the final event, Signature Drinks. Each barista would have just five minutes to prepare and explain a drink of their design. Sai was worried— although Hikaru was naturally outgoing and chatted easily with customers, his endless rehearsals for this presentation had invariably sounded stiff and awkward. Even Morishita-sensei had given up and told him to just get through it. And now after Sai’s disruption of the previous event, and that conversation just now…

If Hikaru was nervous though, it was impossible to tell. He seemed calm and relaxed at his table as the presentations began, even when Ko Young Ha shot him a sneer that seemed intended to rile him.

When it was his turn, he began by flashing a bright and easy smile at the judges and cameras.

“Good afternoon, everyone! I’m Shindou Hikaru from Honinbrew. Today, I’m going to prepare a coffee that will completely blow you away.”

Hikaru said this with a straight face, but ended it with a wink at the camera that earned him a round of delighted applause from the audience. Kurata-sensei raised his eyebrows and nodded approvingly as Hikaru expertly ground the beans, flushed the grouphead, dosed and tamped, and plugged the portafilter in to begin extracting into two clear, shallow glasses.

“I brought something really special to share with you all today: the Shigeko blend, roasted by Morishita-sensei himself. He named it after his daughter, who has almost as much of a sweet-tooth as I do,” Hikaru said with a smile as he placed the glasses on a tray. “You’ll notice a bright, juicy nectarine sweetness with a hint of cocoa when you try it. It’s great on its own, but I’d like to add a few elements to highlight its individual flavors and make it truly come alive.”

Hikaru dramatically revealed three small vials and placed them on the tray. He lifted one containing a shimmering golden liquid.

“First of all, to represent the sweetness of life, an infusion of sun-dried peaches,” he said as he emptied its contents into the espresso.

“Next, an infusion of raspberry tempered with rose petals for a dash of acidity, but not too much,” he said while adding the second vial.

Hikaru poured in the last vial and swirled the glasses gently. “Finally, a cocoa nib cold infusion to add bitterness, without which we could not appreciate life’s sweetness.”

Sai recalled when Hikaru had first come up with the idea to deconstruct a coffee. Waya had just roasted his first batch of beans and challenged Hikaru to figure out the taste profile. Hikaru did so by brewing into several cups and adding ingredients that enhanced the different flavors in each one. Waya was annoyed that Hikaru had “ruined” his coffee, but Hikaru had demonstrated a nuanced understanding of taste that even Sai had not known he possessed until then.

“These three components— sweetness, acidity, and bitterness— are the key to good coffee, and to a good life. I hope you all enjoy it,” Hikaru said as he smoothly presented the glasses to the judges. These final lines, which had been delivered so woodenly in countless rehearsals before, now echoed confidently through the rapt arena. Touya stared at him with frank astonishment.

 _That’s Hikaru!,_ Sai said triumphantly, even though Touya couldn’t hear him. _You are so focused on my shadow that you don’t see Hikaru’s footsteps coming towards you, one by one._

No one seemed surprised later when Kurata-sensei declared Hikaru the winner of the Signature Drink round, nor when Kuwabara-sensei announced that Touya Akira and Ko Young Ha had won first and second place respectively. But a murmur went through the crowd when Hikaru unexpectedly came in third place.

Kuwabara-sensei had these final words to share in the closing ceremony.

“Congratulations to all our young competitors today! The path of a master barista is a tireless quest for perfection and reinvention and you are well on your way. Much has been said about the so-called ‘Divine Brew,’ a cup of coffee that represents the pinnacle of a barista’s lifetime of skill and possibly of his or her generation. Although our young baristas competed alone today, remember that good coffee is a shared experience between two people. Only two people with equal genius can create the Divine Brew together.”

* * *

“Morishita-sensei’s waiting for you in the storage room,” Waya said ominously as Hikaru walked into Honinbrew the next morning.

Hikaru blanched. “Ugh, this is all your fault for making me do that tournament, just because you only want to do team matches.”

“Forced you! You volunteered, idiot!”

Hikaru managed a wan smile.

“Anyway, you might as well go see him now and get it over with,” Waya said, gesturing with his broom handle.

Hikaru took a deep breath and began walking towards the back of the coffee shop. His footsteps slowed as his dread grew.

“Sensei… I’m sorry for not beating Café Meijin!” Hikaru shouted as he burst through the door. He squeezed his eyes shut and bowed deeply.

A large hand clapped his back.

“You did well, Shindou. There’s no need to apologize,” Morishita-sensei chuckled. “Placing third in your first competition is impressive!”

Suddenly, Morishita-sensei's expression clouded over. “But, I never want to see you make such a careless mistake in my shop like you did with that ridiculous latte mug!”

“Yes, sensei!” Hikaru bowed again. He half-turned to leave, but Morishita-sensei was still frowning at him.

“Still… to get third place after making that kind of mistake, Touya Kouyou must have given you high marks for some reason. Why would he do that?”

“Oh… um…” Hikaru’s face twitched and he quickly covered his panic with a cocky grin. “Maybe he just saw my potential?”

Morishita-sensei burst out laughing. “Okay Shindou, if you say so. You can stay here and help with inventory today since you must be tired.”

“I actually don’t mind working at the counter instead, if that’s okay.”

“Sure, go ahead.”

The day passed quickly and several customers congratulated Hikaru on his performance. Nothing else seemed different, but Hikaru couldn’t quite deny that he was avoiding Sai.

It wasn’t intentional and he felt bad about it, but Hikaru had been tired and grumpy when they returned home from the tournament and had barely spoken to Sai for the rest of the day. He greeted Sai normally this morning, but things still felt strained between them.

_Hikaru… I really am sorry._

“You don’t have to keep apologizing,” Hikaru replied, more harshly than he intended. He bent his head lower as he scrubbed the ice machine.

It wasn’t that he was mad at Sai. He knew that Sai hadn’t really done anything wrong. But he couldn’t look at him without thinking of Touya’s downcast face as well. It was making him feel claustrophobic. His chest hurt if he tried to think about it too hard.

Sai was sitting by the window, giving Hikaru some space, but he looked melancholy as he watched people pass by. Something seemed off with Sai too, ever since Hikaru found him at the Faema booth at the convention center, but he didn’t seem to want to talk about it either. A young man went to his table and Sai frantically scooted away before he sat on him.

Hikaru sighed.

“Hey Sai. How about we give the next few customers the best coffee of their lives?”

_Really?! You’ll let me brew?_

At his excitement, Hikaru found himself smiling.

The tension eased between them, but making coffee together felt surprisingly awkward. Even though Hikaru offered to let Sai take over, Sai simply observed as he brewed and gently fine-tuned his technique now and then. Still, Hikaru was unable to relax.

Waya frowned when Hikaru poured milk into a latte too quickly and spilled some over the edge.

“Ugh, not again,” Hikaru muttered under his breath as he wiped the cup. Thankfully, the customer didn’t seem to mind.

“You okay there?” Waya asked.

“Yeah, just having a weird morning.”

“Wow, Morishita-sensei must have really chewed you out! I thought he was only extra hard on me and Saeki, but I guess not. Don’t worry, he’ll cool off soon enough.”

“Uh, thanks Waya.”

 _I’m making you nervous_ , Sai said quietly.

“What? Of course not,” Hikaru replied. “Geez, you’ve been in my head for so long that it almost feels normal.”

_You’re afraid of me now, Hikaru. You’ve seen my skill and you have begun to fear it._

Hikaru started to protest, but stopped. Of course he knew Sai’s skill; he understood it better than anyone else. Sai was such a brilliant teacher that in less than two years, Hikaru had gone from knowing nothing about coffee to placing third among the top young baristas in Tokyo.

But it was different now. When Hikaru remembered how clumsily he had stumbled through Sai’s sharp commands at the competition, he felt sick. There was no comparison between Sai and himself. Clearly, Hikaru wasn’t nearly as good as he previously thought he was.

He nodded glumly at Sai and waited for him to encourage him like he always did, but Sai only pointed at the espresso machine mercilessly.

_It’s clear what you need to do. Overcome it and step to the edge. Touya is always this way!_

Touya! Hikaru lifted his head. Touya had faced him with all his strength, even when he thought he was Sai. Hikaru understood now how terrifying that must have been, but Touya had done it anyway.

_Like Touya, change fear into courage!_

Hikaru hesitated at the machine. “What am I making? Are you going to tell me how to do it?”

 _A double ristretto. You will make it yourself, but I will correct you if you make_ any _mistakes._

Hikaru nodded grimly.

People rarely ordered ristrettos at Honinbrew, so he didn’t have as much practice with them, but he did have a good memory. Hikaru tried to walk through the ristretto as he had made it at the competition. Sai had to interject through the entire process, but Hikaru didn’t mind; he felt braver this time. He knocked the tiny cup back and raised an eyebrow at Sai.

_Well done!_

Hikaru smiled, but he couldn’t help feeling a twinge of resentment. He was starting to realize that no matter how much he improved, he would always be in Sai’s shadow.

“I bet Angelo didn’t have any problem making these,” he remarked as he began loading the dishwasher with dirty mugs.

_It’s true, his technique was flawless._

Sai rarely spoke about the person he had haunted before Hikaru, but whenever he did, it was with that sad, wistful voice. It made sense; Angelo was apparently some kind of espresso machine legend who could do no wrong and now Sai was stuck with Hikaru. Of course he would miss him. Sai probably wished Hikaru were Angelo, and Touya wished Hikaru were Sai. Hikaru felt like he was just getting in everyone’s way.

“If he was so great, why weren’t you able to make the Divine Brew or God Shot or whatever?” Hikaru asked.

_Angelo passed away when he was young, not long after he created the E61 espresso machine. I’m sure if we had more time together, we would have perfected our skill._

“Are you just going to keep haunting people until you’re even better at making coffee, then?” Hikaru was struggling to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but he couldn’t help it. Sai didn’t seem to notice.

_I didn’t expect to have a second opportunity. But if I am allowed to keep pursuing my dream, I may return again._

At that unintentional slight, Hikaru fumbled his grip on a demitasse and almost dropped it. Sai looked nervous as he continued to speak.

_That might not be the case however. Hikaru, I… I’m worried that I may be disappearing soon._

The demitasse fell to the ground and shattered. Hikaru hastily swept it into the garbage and ducked into the bathroom to avoid Waya’s curious frown.

Thankfully, no one was inside. He quickly shut the door behind him and shook his head at Sai.

“What do you mean you’re going to disappear?! Are you sure? How do you know?”

_Well, I’m not sure. Something just feels different, and I’ve been getting worried. I don’t want to leave…_

“I don’t understand!” Hikaru exploded. “You’ve been a ghost for hundreds of years! You can’t leave until you make the Divine Brew, right? I’m nowhere near good enough, so there’s no reason to think that you’re going anywhere.”

Sai nodded slowly. _You’re probably right…_

Hikaru had never really thought about Sai leaving someday. Once he’d gotten used to Sai’s presence, he had to admit that he liked always having someone nearby. But, it was also frustrating never having any privacy. If Sai were to go away early…

He shook his head, horrified. What was he thinking?! That meant Sai would be dead, _really_ dead.

Sai stood silently in front of him looking miserable and scared. Hikaru felt ashamed for being hopeful even for a moment. What if he really did leave? Hikaru couldn’t think about it.

“You’re not going to disappear! Don’t… don’t get me caught up in your pointless worrying, just because you’re in a hurry!” Hikaru said shakily. “You’ve been really selfish lately, you know that? Why don’t you ever think about me for once? I have my own life too!”

_Hikaru…_

Hikaru turned away and gripped the door handle tightly. His emotions were swirling around inside him like poison and he couldn’t stop himself. “I don’t want to hear it anymore! I have to start thinking for myself. You can wait for the next person you haunt to make the perfect coffee. I’m going to brew my own way from now on!”

Without waiting for Sai, he walked out and let the door slam behind him.

* * *

Later that week, as he had done so many nights before, Sai gazed through Hikaru’s window at the hazy sky scattered with power lines and a handful of stars. Brightly colored carp flags fluttered gaily in the cool spring breeze— Hikaru had told him that today was the day when Japan celebrated its children.

The stillness of moonlit rooftops and shuttered windows usually helped Sai feel less removed from time, but not anymore. He couldn’t stop thinking about his life with Angelo and the pain of saying goodbye. Ever since the tournament, a sudden and merciless shift had occurred. The sands of time, which were frozen for so long, had begun to flow again. He couldn’t understand _why_ at first, but it started to make sense. Sai shared all of his passion and knowledge with Hikaru in hopes of creating the Divine Brew together, but none of that could have unleashed his potential the way one heated conversation with Akira did.

Hikaru had ultimately apologized after their argument, but Sai didn’t dare to mention his fears again. After all, he still hadn’t been absolutely sure… not until tonight. He didn’t know how much time he had left, but he sensed that it must be very little. Sai was scared, but strangely, he felt more alive than he had ever actually been in life. As a young man in Venice, he thought he had welcomed death by throwing his life away. Through some miraculous intervention, he had been given two opportunities to welcome life again, to fulfill his passion for the perfect brew, and most importantly…

Sai turned to look fondly at Hikaru’s sleeping form. Both Hikaru and Angelo were restless sleepers, but whereas Angelo had always slept with his knees curled tightly at his chest, Hikaru had one arm and leg flung over the edge of his bed and a stream of drool pooling by his cheek. He understood now that Hikaru no longer needed him, but he couldn’t help feeling fiercely protective.

Hikaru mumbled something and ran the back of his hand sloppily across his mouth. He seemed especially childlike in his sleep, but Sai could see his future unfurling before him as bright and shining as the Adriatic Sea. It filled him with indescribable joy, as well as pain. He didn’t want to leave! He hadn’t wanted to leave back then either.

_Angelo… this child can barely explain the difference between a grouphead and a group machine, but I think you would like him. I can’t wait to tell you about him._

Sai didn’t know what would happen to him this time, but he wanted to believe that he would see Angelo again. Thinking about that helped distract him from his fear. Yes, he would tell Angelo all about Hikaru, and Akira too. Sai smiled to himself as he recalled the two boys circling each other, baring their fangs. They were still practically children, but they had the good fortune of an entire lifetime to become acquainted. The lessons that had taken Sai centuries to learn, they would learn much sooner.

Together they would go on to create the Divine Brew. Sai’s smile faded. He wouldn’t be the one to create it after all, but his job was done. Sai had made his final God Shot for a truly worthy partner, but there was still one more cup left to brew.

_Hikaru…. caro… wake up._

* * *

Hikaru was having a terrible nightmare and not the kind where he at least got to fight zombies. He was playing Speed Joe with Touya in a giant arena, but his shots kept spilling one after the other or disappearing after he placed them down. As he frantically inserted the portafilter again, he heard Touya calling his name in a soft, gentle voice and it was so jarring that he realized he must be dreaming.

He woke up with a groan. Sai’s face hovered over him, glowing so brightly that it must be morning.

“Sai?” he croaked. “What time is it?”

_Let’s make coffee together!_

“Good morning to you too,” Hikaru grumbled and rubbed his eyes. A dull pain thudded between his temples. He shouldn’t have stayed out so late with the Honinbrew crew last night to celebrate his birthday, especially since he had an early shift today. Coffee sounded like a great idea, along with a handful of painkillers.

“I have some cold brew in the fridge though,” he said with a yawn.

_Use the Italian roast with the moka pot. Hikaru, hurry up!_

Even in his semi-conscious state, Hikaru knew that he couldn’t argue with Sai when he was like this. With monumental effort and more yawning, he lurched out of bed and managed to fill the water kettle. While it boiled, he dug through the piles of clothing on the floor until he unearthed his grandfather’s moka pot.

“Huh, weird. It looks cleaner than usual. Guess we haven’t used it in a while,” Hikaru muttered.

Squinting, he poured hot water into the bottom chamber, stuffed some ground coffee into the filter basket, screwed it all together, and plunked it on his portable stove-top. While he waited for the moka pot to heat up, he slumped onto the floor cross-legged and propped his chin on his fist.

Sai was talking to him, but Hikaru wished he would wait until _after_ he had some coffee. His eyelids felt so heavy. He decided to rest his eyes for a moment.

_…karu, turn off the stove! Hikaru!_

“Oh!” Hikaru yelped and slapped at the switch. The small room was filled with the metallic scent of burnt coffee.

 _Mio caro idiota_ , Sai said softly.

Hikaru yawned. All his cups were in the sink. He should get up to wash them… in a moment…

When he opened his eyes, the moka pot was cold and sunlight was streaming through the open window. The smell of coffee lingered in the air.

“Sai?”

Hikaru was alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is the _final_ chapter of Hikajoe! Thanks for all your support!
> 
> If you’re curious about all the references to Sai’s previous life with Angelo, I wrote a complete side-story about it called [Macchina](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1473691).
> 
> The Hikago Rare Pairs Fic Exchange has been revealed! [Caminante](http://archiveofourown.org/users/caminante/pseuds/caminante), beta (and also writer!) extraordinaire, wrote [Middlegame](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1960632), a incredible Nase/Ko Young Ha fic that explores Nase’s hard-fought journey to becoming a pro! I wrote [Aji](http://archiveofourown.org/works/1960797), a fic about Kishimoto Kaoru, otherwise known as the only Hikaru no Go character who has a canon interest in coffee. 
> 
> As my thanks to caminante for forcing me to rewatch the heart-breaking Hikago episodes where Sai disappears with her so I could inject the appropriate feelings into this chapter, here’s a special Hikajoe pun just for her: The other name I was considering for Latteria, the coffeeshop where Ko Young Ha and Hong Su Young work, was.... **Gimbap Java**. (Gimbap Nara, like Lotteria, is a Korean fast food chain.)
> 
> Hikaru’s signature drink was inspired by [Nick Clark (New Zealand)’s 2013 World Barista Championship Semi-Finals signature drink](http://sprudge.com/world-barista-championship-semi-finals-melbourn.html). You can watch a video of the drink preparation in action at the link!


	7. Ven-iced Coffee

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To his great surprise, Touya Akira found himself sitting alone on a gondola in Venice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am _so_ sorry for the super long wait since the last update, especially since I left you all on that incredibly sad, yet canon, cliffhanger! The good news is, this isn't the last chapter AND I posted all the remaining chapters! There's now a total of 9 chapters and an epilogue, so if you're reading this, rest assured that no other cliffhangers, tragic or otherwise, are waiting for you at the end. Enjoy!

To his great surprise, Touya Akira found himself sitting alone on a gondola in Venice.

He hadn’t meant to leave Ashiwara-san behind, but it wasn't entirely his fault. They’d made the mistake of trying to ride a gondola at sunset on a Friday. Tourists swarmed along the canal and noisily vied for seats on one of the slim curved boats. Waiting in line reminded Akira of working at Café Meijin during the morning rush so he easily slipped into the quiet of his own thoughts from years of practice. He was so good at it, in fact, that when the crowd finally jostled him to the front, he unconsciously handed over the fee and took a seat. It wasn't until after the gondola took off that he realized something was wrong. He frantically looked back at the dock and saw Ashiwara-san pointing at the next boat with a good-natured smile. Akira waved apologetically.

He felt guilty, but part of him was a bit glad. Ashiwara-san was a great travel companion, but they'd been so busy since arriving in Venice three weeks ago that he relished any opportunity to be alone for awhile. So much had happened in such a short time. It seemed like it was just the other day when he had nervously made coffee for his mother and announced that he planned to quit college in order to focus full-time on improving his skills as a barista.

* * *

“…I hope that you and father will understand and accept my decision,” Akira concluded softly. Even though he always spoke respectfully to his parents, his voice seemed to ring too loudly in the sparsely-decorated, large tatami room.

His mother stared intently at her coffee cup for several tense moments before smiling at him.

“Well, I can’t say that I’m surprised, not with the grades you’ve been getting. I know you must have given this careful thought and I want to respect that. Your father and I will discuss this together later tonight,” she replied. The smile didn't quite reach her eyes.

Akira smiled back, even as he felt a pang of guilt. His mother had always supported his father’s successful career as a barista, but Akira knew about the quiet, unspoken dreams she had for him and how much it must hurt her to watch them dissolve the more he pursued his father's path. He had enrolled in college mainly to please her, but he couldn't allow himself to compromise on his training so his grades steadily dropped each semester. By the start of junior year, he was in danger of failing. He had _meant_ to really try, but he was so consumed with his work at Café Meijin that everything else became an afterthought.

That night, Akira waited anxiously in his room. Finally, his father appeared at the doorway with a photo album in his hand and a relieved smile. After patting him on the shoulder, he sat down on the floor. Akira quickly joined him and looked at him expectantly.

“Your mother isn’t thrilled, but she’ll feel more at ease once we figure out your next steps. I wish you had spoken to me first, but at least this way, we understand that you came to this decision on your own.” His father spoke mildly, but Akira could also hear a tinge of excitement. “Let’s figure out your next steps, then.”

“If you think I’m ready, I’d like to learn how to roast,” Akira said hesitantly.

There was a coffee roaster in the back of Café Meijin, a lumbering, ancient, dark machine that his father had brought back from Germany many years ago. When Akira was a child, it had seemed like a sleeping dragon, roaring fitfully as it transformed soft green coffee beans into smoky, intoxicating embers. His father always let him watch while he roasted, but he had wanted Akira to completely master brewing for several years before learning to roast.

Akira loved making coffee— it was a form of art disguised as science and he had both the talent and passion for it. Still, he always felt that he would be more suited to roasting. As much as he was fond of serving Café Meijin’s many regulars, he preferred the idea of working alone and without interruptions to create one perfect product.

“I thought you would say that, which is why I brought this with me,” his father replied, placing the photo album in front of them.

They looked through the album together. There were photos of his father as a young man, although he still looked older than Akira. He was brewing coffee in an elegant coffee shop and posing comfortably with a man with thick, expressive eyebrows and a ruddy complexion.

"Is that… Vianello-san?" Akira asked. He had a faint memory of being bounced on that man's knee as a child and thinking he was Santa Claus.

"Well, you should call him Signor Vianello… if you meet him in Italy," his father said with a growing smile.

Akira looked at his father wide-eyed. “Does that mean…?”

"Since you said you wanted to study roasting, I want to introduce you to the best coffee roaster I know. Luciano Vianello is an old friend of mine and he runs an excellent roastery in Venice called Caffè Luciano. I could ask him if you could work as his apprentice, as I did once. What do you think?"

"If Signor Vianello is willing to train me, I would work hard and do my best in his shop," Akira replied as confidently as he could manage, although his voice still trembled.

His father often spoke fondly of his time in Italy and, even though his father was focused on his work in Japan, Akira had always hoped he would have an opportunity to study there as well. He had even taken a semester of Italian in college, but it had always seemed like an unlikely dream.

"Akira, I’m proud of you. You're ready," his father said warmly. Akira felt any lingering doubt he had melt away.

* * *

In the three months since that conversation with his parents, Akira had begun to study Italian in earnest and worked full-time at Café Meijin while his father contacted Signor Vianello and made the necessary arrangements for his six-month apprenticeship. Ashiwara-san had been planning to take time off to travel around Europe, so he offered to accompany him to Venice. Akira’s father generously arranged for him to train at Caffè Luciano for several weeks as well.

Signor Vianello lived alone now and ran his coffee shop by himself, as his wife had passed away several years ago and his children had moved to different cities. When Akira arrived in Venice, Signor Vianello was as friendly and welcoming as he had hoped and his first three weeks had flown by in a blur of coffee brewing, culture shock, and sightseeing.

Akira couldn't believe that it was already time for Ashiwara-san to leave. Since he was taking a train to France the next morning, Signor Vianello had insisted on giving them money for a gondola ride after work, claiming that everyone must ride a gondola at least once while in Venice.

The gondola slowly sailed past the Doge’s Palace and the lamps hanging outside the shops along the canal began to twinkle and glisten on the water. Akira began to smile to himself, a wide, careless grin that threatened to spill over into giddy laughter. He'd never admit this to his father, but being  so far away from home and making coffee somewhere other than at his father's shop felt shockingly refreshing. He knew that this was where he was meant to be right now.

Amid the stream of happy couples walking along the canal, a lone hooded figure stood out for some reason. Maybe it was because he was walking forlornly by himself with his head down, but it was more that he seemed familiar somehow. As Akira watched, the person took out a map and pulled away the hood of his yellow sweatshirt, revealing a shock of bleached bangs set against dark hair.

Akira bolted upright and nearly upset the boat. It _couldn’t_ be him. It was impossible! But Akira had to know for sure. The gondolier was shouting at him, but he didn’t care.

“Shindou?!” Akira yelled.

Shindou froze and stared at Akira in complete bewilderment as the gondola slowly drifted by. It couldn’t be anyone else. Akira shook his fist in frustration and pointed at the dock further down the river. His gesture seemed to startle Shindou out of his shock; he turned and ran away.

Akira stared after his retreating back in vain until another passenger forced him to sit down.

“Damn it, Shindou!” he groaned.

* * *

Hikaru kept running, even though there was absolutely no way that Touya could have followed him at this point. He darted through narrow, winding alleyways and past shuttered storefronts as the sky darkened to a murky violet.  His lungs burned and the air tasted metallic and sour in his throat, but he didn’t want to stop. If he did, he’d have to acknowledge that he had no clue where he was. He was tired of feeling lost. At least while he was running, he felt like he was getting somewhere.

The image of Touya shaking his fist at him from a gondola seemed too unreal to be true, but Hikaru had seen it with his own eyes. Touya was here in Venice?! Why? How?

Eventually, his legs started to give out and he hunched over to gasp for breath. When he managed to stand back up, nothing looked familiar to him. Hikaru bravely unfolded his map and spread it out on a bench, but the dense wall of tiny, alien text completely demoralized him. He sighed and hit redial on his small prepaid cell phone.

“Shindou, not again,” a gruff voice answered. “I gave you this number _for emergencies only_.”

“Kawai-san, I need your help,” Hikaru said sheepishly. He looked around again. “Uh, I’m near a canal with a bunch of houses and… a coffee shop?”

“What kind of description is that?! That could be anywhere in Venice!” Kawai-san shouted.

“Oh, hold on, I’ll pass the phone to the coffee shop owner!” Hikaru replied. After Kawai-san spoke with the owner, he told Hikaru to stay put while he came to pick him up. He waited inside the coffee shop. His stomach growled loudly and he desperately wished he could find a ramen shop in Venice.

The small shop was filled with patrons and Hikaru was surrounded by incomprehensible chatter and the suffocating smell of coffee. The barista behind the counter was preparing an expert shot of espresso, but it was too painful for Hikaru to watch. After a while, he quietly left to sit outside on the steps and buried his face in his hands. His heart was still pounding from earlier. He wondered for a paranoid moment if Touya had followed him to Venice, but he knew that idea was crazy. Not even Touya was that intense. And besides, Touya didn’t want him as a rival anymore after the tournament, and especially wouldn’t now that Sai was gone.

Hikaru rubbed his eyes wearily. He had no idea why Touya was here, but seeing him again after so many months brought back bitter memories of the tournament. Hikaru had been so mad at Sai for stepping in during the tournament and he had been so stupidly proud of placing third. Now all he felt was a dull, agonizing ache.

He couldn’t dwell on his thoughts for long because Kawai-san came stomping up the walkway and glared at him.

“You’re lucky I was in the area, kid!” he grouched. “In all my years of supervising study abroad students, I’ve never been given so much trouble!”

“I’m really sorry!” Hikaru replied, but he couldn’t help grinning at Kawai-san with relief.

Kawai-san sighed. “Come on, you probably haven’t eaten dinner, right? Let’s get you some food.”

They walked together toward a main road and went to a small restaurant. Kawai-san ordered pasta for them and asked him about his day, but Hikaru couldn’t manage much more than one-word answers. He really liked Kawai-san— he oversaw his university's Italy exchange program and had rescued him several times since he’d arrived in Venice— but Hikaru was too preoccupied with his thoughts to talk. Suddenly, Kawai-san reached over and tousled his hair roughly. Hikaru yelped.

“What’s with you, kid? I’m getting worried about you. You’ve only been here for a few days and you keep running off on your own instead of hanging out with the rest of your group.”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Hikaru mumbled unconvincingly and looked away.

“Try to have fun while you’re here! You’re in the most beautiful city in the world!” Kawai-san said with a laugh and clapped Hikaru on the back.

“Kawai-san… do you know where Caffè Florian is?”

Kawai-san scratched his head. “Hmm, that really famous coffee shop? It’s right in Piazza San Marco, not too far from here actually.”

Hikaru wiped his mouth hurriedly and stood up. “Can we go there? Right now?”

“Well sure, but it’s getting late for coffee… whoa, where are you going?! You still need to pay!!”

After leaving the restaurant, Hikaru anxiously walked ahead even though he didn’t know the way. Kawai-san grumbled until they stopped in front of a set of gleaming glass doors. Hikaru rushed inside. The popular café was filled with patrons and they glared at him as he barged from room to room.

Kawai-san was fuming by the time Hikaru was hauled outside by an irate barista.

“What were you thinking, running around in there like that!” he yelled.

Hikaru wouldn’t look up. “I thought for sure he’d be there.”

“What are you talking about? Who were you looking for?”

Hikaru shook his head miserably. Exhaustion overwhelmed him and his eyes burned with sudden tears. He hastily blinked them away and began walking away from the coffee shop. “I’m sorry. Can we please go back now?”

“Wait, where are you going?” Kawai-san snapped as he hurried to catch up. “Are you even listening to me, Shindou?!”

* * *

“Akira? Can you go replace the milk?”

“Oh, Signor Vianello! I’m sorry. I did not hear you,” Akira said in halting Italian. He began to bow, but caught himself in time and hastily jerked back upright. It was still proving difficult to train himself out of the habit.

Signor Vianello was a portly older man with a deep, hearty laugh that cheered anyone who heard it. Akira wasn’t surprised that he had mistaken him for Santa Claus as a child. Right now however, any hint of a smile was gone as he peered into Akira’s face with concern.

“You seem very distracted this morning, _passerotto_ , and you don’t look well. Is everything alright?” he asked seriously.

Akira smiled at the endearment. When Signor Vianello first called him that, he had looked it up and figured that he was a “small sparrow” because he made coffee very carefully and precisely. When he’d told Signor Vianello that, he had roared with laughter and said it just meant that Akira was a little one who was learning to fly.

Akira nodded earnestly. “Yes, I’m fine. I will go get the milk now.”

When he came back, Signor Vianello patted his shoulder and pointed at the door. “Go take a break. Your coffee will taste bitter if you do not care for your health.”

Akira fought the urge to bow again. “Yes, Signor Vianello.”

He went outside and slumped onto a bench. His mind immediately returned to yesterday’s baffling scene.

It was impossible for Shindou to be in Venice. It didn’t make any sense. Then again, nothing about Shindou made much sense. Why, after all these months, had he reappeared in his life? And why would he run away?

A few weeks after the tournament, Akira had gone to Honinbrew to confront Shindou and demand answers about his inconsistency. He was shocked to find out that Shindou had quit his job there just a few days prior. Waya gave him Shindou’s phone number, but his calls never went through. Classes had ended for the summer, so he couldn’t track him down at the university. He didn’t know what to do until an unlikely opportunity appeared a month later. Ochi from Honinbrew visited Café Meijin and once again mentioned that he was still interested in working for them. Akira decided to encourage his father to hire Ochi partly to see if he could find out more about Shindou.

Akira cringed at the memory. In hindsight, that had been a big mistake.

“I can’t _believe_ you just asked me to make a ristretto _as if I were Shindou_ ,” Ochi had snarled and thrown a bar towel at him. “What kind of a weird request is that? Did you seriously only hire me to ask about Shindou? You _did_ , didn’t you?! Why does everyone care so much about that coffee-doodling hack?! _I don’t get it!! I quit!_ ”

After that, Akira had been too busy preparing for his move to Italy to chase after Shindou anymore. It was time to regain his focus and move forward by diligently following in his father’s steps. He’d let himself become distracted for far too long.

He thought he had moved past their rivalry, but seeing him again renewed his determination to unravel the secret of Shindou’s erratically brilliant skill. In his mind, he had started referring to this other-Shindou as “Sai,” after the alias he had used to make that double ristretto at the tournament that had shocked even his father with its level of quality.

Akira hadn’t been fooled by that latte mug trick. He’d only seen his father react that way to coffee once before, at the World Barista Championships in Australia when he was a child.

Signor Vianello poked his head out of the window behind Akira, startling him from his thoughts.

“Better now?” he said with a merry laugh.

“Yes, of course!” Akira replied and quickly hurried back inside.

He had come to a conclusion. He couldn’t let this distract him from his work at Caffè Luciano any longer, but he also couldn’t just let it go. He decided to do whatever it took to figure Shindou out once and for all.

* * *

It had been two weeks since Hikaru first arrived in Venice. The university where he was studying was on a small island in the Venetian Lagoon and after his morning Italian language and culture classes, he would usually take a boat over to Piazza San Marco, where he would carefully wander along one of the many canals. He slowly became braver and started venturing into quiet residential neighborhoods away from the touristy areas. There was a sense of ancient decay and stagnation everywhere he looked, which suited his mood just fine. Many of the buildings were covered in chipped, faded paint and crumbling bricks; they looked like they'd been around for ages. Hikaru couldn’t imagine that much could have changed here since Sai’s time.

Sai was everywhere he looked and yet nowhere to be found. After searching for him in every likely place he could think of in Japan, Hikaru had given up and hid in the library throwing himself into his schoolwork for once, but it was difficult to avoid things that reminded him of Sai. When Akari had told him that she was planning to study abroad the following semester, he realized that there was a way to look for Sai in the last possible place.

Hikaru knew it would be painful to come to Italy, but he couldn’t fight that small, wild hope that he might find Sai here. Sai might have gone to haunt someone else who was more serious about coffee or better at brewing than Hikaru. Hikaru didn’t care what the reason was as long as there was a chance that he could see Sai again. He couldn’t forget his last argument with Sai, when he had shouted that he wouldn’t let Sai brew anymore, and he couldn’t believe that Sai would leave forever without fulfilling his dream... or saying goodbye.

That afternoon, Hikaru planned to set off as usual. As he was leaving the classroom, someone called his name loudly.

He whirled around in surprise.

“Kawai-san?”

From down the hall, Kawai-san jerked his thumb toward the staircase.

“Someone’s waiting for you in the lobby. He seemed pretty anxious about finding you, so make sure you don’t miss him. Maybe he’s the person you were looking for at Caffè Florian last time, eh?” he laughed.

Hikaru felt his heart begin to pound so hard that he was surprised it wasn’t audible. Without replying, he bolted down the stairs.

* * *

Shindou burst through the entrance, but stopped short when he saw Akira.

“…Oh, it’s you,” he said blankly.

Akira knew that Shindou would be surprised to see him at his school, but he hadn’t expected Shindou to look at him with such pained disappointment. He instantly regretted coming here.

“I apologize for showing up like this,” Akira said hesitantly. “You must be really confused.”

“Yeah, sorry, I guess I was just… expecting someone else,” Shindou replied, trailing off absently. He shook his head and squinted at Akira. “Anyway, what are you doing here? How did you find me?”

Akira felt his face flush with embarrassment. He had been in such a hurry to track Shindou down, he hadn’t considered that maybe Shindou didn’t want to see him anymore despite declaring himself Akira’s rival in the past.

“Well, I’m training with a friend of my father’s at his coffee shop. After I saw you, I figured you must be studying here... so I called your school’s study abroad office to ask about you,” Akira explained awkwardly, looking away. “I’m sorry if that was weird.”

To his surprise, Shindou grinned at him. “You know what? I’m really glad to see you.”

Akira blinked at this sudden shift in Shindou’s attitude as he shrugged and continued. “The only other person I know here is Kawai-san, and that’s just because he’s our program leader. He’s sick of me calling him all the time when I get lost, but I’ve only been here for two weeks so I don’t really know how to get around yet.”

“Shindou, why are you here?” Akira asked seriously. “I heard that you quit your job. Is it true that you don’t want to be a barista anymore?”

Shindou’s face fell and for a moment, Akira thought he was going to run away again, but instead he laughed weakly and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Yeah, I quit. I’m really not that good after all, so I figured I should stop wasting my time.”

“You… don’t think you’re good?” Akira repeated in a low voice and narrowed his eyes. “I disagree.”

“Touya…” Shindou murmured, looking at him wide-eyed. Then he glanced away.

Something wasn’t right. There were dark circles under Shindou’s eyes and he looked much thinner than before. Rather than the cocky competitor that Akira last remembered, this Shindou seemed to have completely lost his confidence.

“Look, why don’t I show you around some tourist sites and we can catch up?” Akira asked carefully. “I’ve only been here for a bit over a month, but I know my way around pretty well.”

Shindou was already starting to back away. “No, it’s okay, but I actually have to go now—“

“Shindou, wait!” To both of their surprise, Akira reached down and grabbed Shindou’s wrist as he was starting to step away. They both stared at their hands in shock and Akira felt his face grow hot again. He quickly let go.

“I’m sorry. I won’t ask you about anything that you don’t want to talk about,” Akira said firmly. “Just please don’t run away again,” he added much more tentatively.

He took a deep breath and continued. “I’m here on my own, so I’m really glad to see you too. It’s hard to be in a new country alone. I’d like to spend more time with you, if that’s okay.”

Shindou looked down at his wrist and then returned Akira’s serious gaze.

“…Do you know where the oldest places in Venice are?” he asked with a tentative smile.


	8. Coffee To Go

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Let’s meet here again tomorrow, same time,” Touya said. Even though it wasn’t a question, he waited quietly for Hikaru’s reply
> 
> “ _Touya, I’m sorry_ ,” Hikaru thought miserably. “ _I know you’re looking for Sai too. But I don’t know how to find him._ ”

The following day, Hikaru peered nervously out the open window of the vaporetto, where the water surged beneath the small boat. Instead of buses and taxis, Venice used boats. He could see Torchello in the distance, a small island where Touya promised there were really old buildings. This was the farthest he had traveled in Venice so far. Hikaru hoped that Touya really knew where they were going.

Touya was sitting next to him with his legs neatly crossed, engrossed in a book. Now and then he would absentmindedly tuck a stray bit of hair behind his ear and mumble to himself.  Hikaru couldn’t catch what he was saying, but it didn’t sound Japanese. He was curious about what he was reading, but wasn’t sure if he should ask. It was still _completely_ surreal to him that he was hanging out in Italy _with_ _Touya Akira._

Hikaru restlessly twisted in his seat to look around the inside of the boat. It was early afternoon, so there weren’t many people on board. Only a few other people were looking out the windows, including a small boy and girl who kept shoving each other to get a better view. They reminded Hikaru of him and Akari when they were kids.

“Stop fidgeting, we’ll be there soon,” Touya finally said, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice. Hikaru frowned and flopped back onto his seat.

“Fine, can you tell me what you’re reading then?”

Touya turned the book over to reveal the cover: “Italian Now!: Level 3.” He looked down and smiled ruefully to himself. “I’ve been studying for a few years, but I’m afraid my Italian is still quite poor.”

Hikaru grinned. “I've been studying Italian here too! I bet you’re pretty good. Can you say something?”

Touya obliged. “ _Dove posso trovare il bagno_. Okay, your turn.”

Hikaru cleared his throat and repeated after Touya. “Not too bad, huh?”

Touya winced. “Let’s work on your vowels first.”

The rest of the vaporetto ride passed quickly as Touya attempted to teach Hikaru more Italian phrases. Touya looked a bit haggard as they walked onto the dock.

“Gu-rah-shi-eh!” Hikaru called cheerfully to the boat operator.

They walked with the group further into the island until a small church came into sight. It wasn’t very impressive on the outside, but if it was the oldest building in Venice, it was definitely around when Sai was here and seemed like a likely place for ghosts to dwell.

“Hey Touya, how old is this church anyway?”

“According to the guidebook, it was built in 639.”

“Wow, it’s that old?? That’s perfect!” Hikaru exclaimed. Touya gave him a baffled sidelong glance, but said nothing.

Once they paid the entrance fee, Hikaru hurried inside. Enormous mosaics covered the walls and ceilings but he only glanced at them before circling through the small church and carefully checking the smaller side rooms and behind the pillars.

He sighed loudly. Nothing, of course. Maybe he should look outside too? He turned around to leave.

“Shindou, come look at this,” Touya said in a hushed voice and pulled his arm toward the west wall. Hikaru reluctantly followed.

“Oh… oh, wow,” Hikaru stammered. A brilliant golden mosaic covered the entirety of the giant wall all the way to the vaulted ceiling with scenes of battles between angels and demons.

“I researched this place online and there’s supposed to be a great view of the Northern Lagoon around here,” Touya remarked. “We should check it out before we head back.”

As they rambled outside through the ruins of the cathedral’s baptistery and made their way toward the Northern Lagoon, Hikaru secretly looked for signs of Sai. He didn’t find anything, but he had a feeling he would have felt a lot worse about that if he had come here alone.

They boarded the vaporetto back to the main island as the sun began to set and stopped at a small restaurant for dinner. Touya suggested that Hikaru try a type of Venetian pasta called gnocchi— which tasted a bit chewy, sort of like mochi— and then walked with him all the way back to the dock where he could take a boat to his campus.

“Let’s meet here again tomorrow, same time,” Touya said. Even though it wasn’t a question, he waited quietly for Hikaru’s reply.

“ _Touya, I’m sorry_ ,” Hikaru thought miserably. “ _I know you’re looking for Sai too. But I don’t know how to find him._ ”

Maybe… maybe they could look for him together though, even if Touya didn’t know his real mission.Touya was a lot better than him at getting around Venice and he could even speak Italian. Besides, Hikaru didn’t mind hanging out with him. He’d realized today that he really didn’t know Touya that well despite chasing after him as a rival for so long.

“Sure, same time tomorrow,” Hikaru finally responded. “And… thanks.”

Touya smiled at him, just for a moment, but it completely transformed his face. Hikaru had seen him smile politely in news articles and at the judges during the tournament, but this was different; it was warm and sincere and he seemed younger somehow. Hikaru had almost forgotten that they were the same age since Touya was so serious and intense when he brewed coffee.

“Good. I’ll see you then,” Touya said, and smiled again.

* * *

“Thank you for everything today, signore. I’ll be back later tonight,” Akira said after he finished straightening the counter and carefully hung his apron back on its hook. After two months, he’d finally managed to stop bowing, but it still felt wrong.

“You are going to see your friend again, yes?” Signor Vianello asked, smiling. Akira nodded.

“Bring him here sometime! I want to meet him.”

Akira cocked his head in confusion. “Signore…?”

“Your roasts have become much bolder since you began spending time with him. I want to make coffee for him and thank him!”

Akira blushed slightly upon hearing this surprising observation. “That is very kind of you, but I’m afraid my friend is… not quite fond of coffee.”

Signor Vianello laughed heartily. “ _Che_! He’ll change his mind once he tries _my_ brew!”

Akira's ears still felt pink as he crossed the Accademia Bridge and boarded a vaporetto towards the Piazza San Marco, where Shindou would be waiting for him at the dock. Actually, it was more likely that _he’d_ be waiting for Shindou since Shindou was usually late.

What had Signor Vianello meant when he said that his brewing had become better from spending time with Shindou? They hardly even talked about coffee together; Shindou would always end up trying to change the subject and Akira had promised that he wouldn’t pry. Akira wouldn’t have thought he’d have much else to talk about with his barista rival, but since they began meeting up almost every day for the past three weeks, he’d discovered that there were plenty of other baffling contradictions about Shindou for him to unravel.

Shindou showed up ten minutes after Akira arrived, waving from the small boat as it pulled into the dock. He hopped off and stopped in front of Akira.

“So, what’s the plan for today?” he asked brightly.

Akira put his phrasebook back in his bag. “I was thinking we could visit the Accademia Art Gallery. It’s right by where I’m staying, but I haven’t had a chance to visit it properly yet. It’s all Pre-Nineteenth Century art, nothing modern, so I hope that’s okay.”

Shindou’s face lit up. “Oh, so they'd have stuff from the Eighteenth Century?! Perfect!”

Akira looked askance at him, but didn’t say anything, as usual. This was the same Shindou who could hardly tell the difference the words _pizza_ and _piazza_. Of course he’d be excited about Eighteenth Century Italian art. Of course.

There were only a few other visitors when they arrived and their tentative footsteps seemed to echo too loudly in the still gallery. Shindou seemed lost in thought as he flitted from painting to painting on his own so Akira found himself wandering through the halls alone for an hour. He lingered over the dramatic baroque paintings in particular because of the startling contrast of luminous figures emerging from shadowy backgrounds. They looked like clouds of light blossoming in the dark or milk poured into a freshly brewed espresso— Akira snorted softly. His mother was right, he really did think about coffee all the time. Shindou would get it though. Where did he go anyway?

Shindou was standing in front of a large portrait when Akira finally found him. He laid a quiet hand on Shindou’s shoulder.

Shindou tensed, but smiled when he saw it was Akira.

“Hey. Ready to go soon?” Akira asked quietly in the echoing silence of the gallery.

“Oh! Yeah, sure. I’m starting to get hungry.”

“You’ve been staring at this one for a while.”

They stood in front of the painting together. The somber young man in the portrait seemed to have glanced up from the giant manuscript in front of him for a moment. His eyes were unfocused and there was a smile half-formed on his lips as if his thoughts still lingered on some unseen vision.

“He looks a bit like someone I know, I guess,” Shindou said.

“Really?? Who?”

“Just someone I know,” Shindou replied in that maddeningly cryptic and vague way of his. Akira bit his lip and looked more carefully at the painting.

“You know someone who wears a frilly jacket like that?”

“Geez Touya, it’s called a _justacorps_ ,” Shindou explained, sighing dramatically. “Duh.”

“How is that supposed to be obvious to anyone but an art historian?!” Akira snapped. A nearby guard raised an eyebrow at them.

Later, as they finished lunch at a nearby cafe, Shindou stretched his arms and looked out the window. “This is a nice little area. You said that you live around here?”

“Yes. Signor Vianello has a house next to his coffee shop and I’m staying with him during my apprenticeship,” Akira replied, wiping his mouth delicately with a napkin.

"Oh right, you're training here," Shindou replied awkwardly. He always tensed up every time Akira mentioned coffee so they'd barely talked about his work in Italy, but Akira sensed an opening here. He decided to go for it.

“We could drop by if you want.”

“Where, your house?”

“No, the coffee shop.”

Shindou was silent. After a long moment, Akira added, "Oh, did I mention that he trained my dad too?"

"Wait, what??"

"Yeah, my dad trained here when he was around our age," Akira said, taking a sip of water. "Signor Vianello pretty much taught my dad everything he knows about making coffee."

Shindou's jaw actually dropped at this. "He did?? That's incredible!" he sputtered.

"Do you want to meet him?" Akira asked quietly, even though he wanted to shake him by the shoulders and yell, " _Why are you like this now? Didn't you say you were going to catch up to me?_ "

Shindou shrugged, but Akira could see his eyes flicker back and forth as he deliberated his answer.

"Well, like I said before, I'm not really interested in coffee anymore," he finally replied, "but we could drop by for a bit, if you really want."

Akira stood up a bit too quickly from his chair, but he hoped Shindou didn't notice. "Sure, just for a while since we're here already," he said, trying to keep his voice light even though his heart was racing. Maybe, finally, he'd get some answers from Shindou!

* * *

" _Ciao_!" a cheerful voice boomed as they entered the shop. An older man with rosy cheeks emerged from behind the bar, beaming. Despite his apprehension, Hikaru took an immediate liking to him and relaxed slightly.

"Shindou, this is Signor Vianello," Touya said to him.

"Oh! Uhh, _pi— piacere di conoscerla_ ," Hikaru said nervously. So this was the person who had trained both Touya and his dad. He had expected to feel utterly intimidated, like the way he felt around Touya Meijin but magnified, but Signor Vianello seemed determined to put him at ease. He ushered him onto a stool at the bar and gave him a friendly clap on the back after Hikaru grinned at him. Somehow, he reminded Hikaru of Kawai-san.

Hikaru shifted comfortably on his stool and looked around the shop. It was a narrow room lined with a bar and a few tables and there was a door to a back room. The wall next to the tables was lined with packaged coffee beans for sale. Hikaru couldn't help but peek behind the bar to see what kind of equipment was there. When he noticed it, he stiffened in shock.

"A Faema E61?!" he exclaimed.

Signor Vianello blinked at him with sudden recognition. Smiling even more widely, he asked Touya something in Italian. Hikaru caught the words for 'coffee' and 'friend.' Touya nodded and replied affirmatively.

Before Hikaru could react, Signor Vianello began grinding a fresh puck of espresso and soon, the rich scent of coffee filled the small shop. He placed the steaming demitasse in front of Hikaru and smiled expectantly.

Hikaru looked to Touya helplessly, but Touya seemed equally as tense as he waited to see what Hikaru would do. He wished he could just run away again, but there was no easy way of getting out of this situation now.

" _Sai, I know I promised I wouldn't drink or make coffee until you came back, but I can't turn down something Touya's teacher made for me,_ " Hikaru thought desperately. " _It would insult Touya and his teacher and he's done so much for me. You understand that, right? Just one cup, okay? Sai? Answer me, Sai!_ "

Hikaru slowly lifted the small cup. Its dark smoky aroma almost overwhelmed him and made him unconsciously lick his lips. He hadn't had any coffee at all since Sai disappeared five months ago. No, he couldn't let himself get excited!

He took a sip.

“Oh my god,” Hikaru exhaled shakily and promptly downed the small cup. It was _good_. It was more than good, it was—

“ _Delizioso! Molto, molto, molto delizioso_!” Hikaru stammered at Signor Vianello in awe and then turned to Touya. “It’s a light roast, but it’s so rich somehow! It has floral and citrus notes and the acidity is incredibly balanced!”

He grabbed a fistful of the beans and pressed them eagerly to his nose.  "Oh man, there’s a bit of  caramel in it too. I didn’t know a light roast could taste like this. Signor Vianello, you are _fantastico_!" Hikaru knew that he was babbling, but he couldn't help himself. Meanwhile, Touya's face had turned bright red. Signor Vianello roared with laughter and he tousled Touya's hair.

"Not me," he said to Hikaru in Italian, slowly and clearly. "Akira."

Hikaru shook his head, confused. Signor Vianello pointed emphatically at the coffee beans in his hand and then back at the cup. "Akira!" he repeated loudly.

Still blushing and looking bewildered, Touya explained, "Signor Vianello has been teaching me how to roast. That was one of my blends."

"You're already roasting your own beans?" Hikaru exclaimed. "How long?! How long have you been roasting?" He didn't mean to shout at Touya, but Touya didn't flinch. In fact, this seemed to transform him back into his usual self.

"I just started learning when I came to Italy. That was my main reason for coming here. Signor Vianello is a master roaster."

How could Touya be this good at roasting in just three months?! Waya had been making his own roasts for over a year and he'd never made a blend that came close to that balance of taste and complexity. Hikaru hadn't even started to learn yet; Sai had said that he still needed more time to master the basics. Touya was already this far beyond Hikaru…

Hikaru shook his head. Worrying about beating Touya and only thinking about his own progress is what drove Sai away. He couldn’t make the same mistake again.

“Well, thanks for showing me where you work,” Hikaru said, laughing nervously. “I’m not surprised that you’re a fast learner. Anyway, it looks like it’s going to get dark soon. Maybe I should get going… ”

Touya slammed both hands down on the bar. His head was lowered so his hair covered his face, but his shoulders were trembling slightly.

“Akira…” Signor Vianello murmured with surprise.

“It looks like you have some passion left,” Touya growled. “So why did you quit?! Why did you come to Italy? Why did you even become a barista? Wasn’t it to face me?!”

“ _Why are you brewing like you’re a completely different person?_ ” Touya had shouted at him at the Young Roasters tournament so many months ago. Touya was glaring fiercely at Hikaru with the same anger and confusion he had shown him at that time. Hikaru felt the fresh sting of those words.

“I’m sorry,” Hikaru replied in a hollow voice.

“Shindou!” he heard Touya yell as he ran out the door.

Hikaru had no idea where he was going, but he didn’t care. He ran until he ended up at the back steps of some closed restaurant. He sat down and buried his face in his knees.

Hikaru really enjoyed spending time with Touya. He had only seen him as a rival for so long, but it was fun seeing other sides of him. Hikaru had thought Touya was confident and intense all the time, but outside of making coffee, he was actually pretty shy and awkward… and really nice most of the time. He’d snap at Hikaru for having a bad sense of direction, but order two different meals for them so Hikaru could try both. Touya was usually so careful not to mention coffee around him, not ask any questions about Hikaru’s weird behavior, and he met him every day after his classes with a smile and a plan for something interesting to do… but Hikaru could see now that he was just looking for Sai this whole time.

“Well, so what? Isn’t that what I was doing too? Using him to try to find Sai because I don’t know how to get around by myself?” Hikaru gritted out to himself. Why did he feel so hurt then?

_“I’m not Sai… but I’m doing my best to be me. Why isn’t that enough?”_

He remembered thinking that when Touya walked away from him at the tournament. He had felt so ashamed and yelled at Sai because he was bitter and jealous and _stupid_. Of course Touya would still be looking for Sai. Only Hikaru was stupid enough not to respect Sai’s skill and push him to the back. It was his fault he disappeared.

“I’m so sorry, Sai,” he said, brokenly. “I won’t ask for anything anymore. Just please come back! Where did you go?”

When Hikaru finally looked up again, the sun had set. He wiped his eyes on his sleeves, took out his phone, and dialed a number.

“Kawai-san? I got lost again.”


	9. The Divine Brew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Shindou, why are you here?” Akira asked. He almost stepped toward him, but hesitated.
> 
> Shindou clenched his fists and looked at him defiantly.

Akira quietly opened the door of Caffè Luciano and stepped inside.

“Oh, back already?” Signor Vianello said.

“Yes. Can I help you with anything?” Akira replied politely.

“There are a few new shipments that need to be sorted in the back room,” Signor Vianello sighed, “but you should enjoy this lovely afternoon outside, _passerotto_ , not in here!”

Akira smiled in response, but wordlessly retreated to the back. Once inside, he slammed his fist against a sack of unroasted beans.

“Shindou…” he muttered. It had been 3 days since Shindou ran off. Akira had gone to wait for him every day at the dock, but he never appeared. He’d sent an apology text, but didn’t push it after he didn’t receive a reply. It was obvious that Shindou didn’t want to see him. He knew it was his fault—not only had he broken his promise to not ask Shindou about why he'd stopped making coffee, but he'd snapped at him while doing it! But still, he knew now that Shindou hadn’t lost his passion. He was forcing himself to hold back— why??

Akira tried to tell himself that he should be glad. He would have a lot more time to focus on roasting and helping Signor Vianello at the shop. Thanks to Akira’s extra help, Signor Vianello was able to re-open the bar and serve coffee instead of only selling his roasted beans. They even had some regulars now.

He looked listlessly at the sacks of green coffee beans by the door. The labels were from countries all around the world— Ethiopia, Mexico, Colombia, Kenya. Even though Caffè Luciano was a small roastery, Signor Vianello had traveled extensively to research coffee bean sources and liked to experiment with as many varieties as possible. Touya would become skilled at working with many varieties as well.

He gritted his teeth and got to work. After he had sorted the new shipments, he would work on making new roasts for the rest of the afternoon. He couldn’t let himself lose focus. Whenever Shindou was ready to face him again, he had to be a worthy opponent.

Another week passed by, during which Akira still went to wait for Shindou by the dock every day before going back to the shop to work on his roasts. One afternoon, as he was hunched over the roaster and cooling his latest batch, Signor Vianello poked his head into the room.

“There is someone here to see you,” he said with a big smile.

Shindou stepped inside.

“Shindou!” Akira exclaimed and stood upright.

“Whoa, is this how you roast coffee?” Shindou blurted out, looking around wide-eyed.

“Shindou, why are you here?” Akira asked. He almost stepped toward him, but hesitated.

Shindou clenched his fists and looked at him defiantly.

“I came here to tell you that I’m my own person,” he declared. “I can’t be anyone else anymore, and that has to be good enough. If you can accept that I‘ve quit making coffee, we can keep hanging out.”

Akira stared at him curiously, but bit his tongue. He still wasn’t used to holding back with Shindou, but he didn’t want him to leave again.

“Fine!” he exhaled, even though nothing Shindou had just said made _any_ sense. There was definitely more to Shindou than he let on, and he _couldn’t_ accept that Shindou would never make coffee again. He knew that they shared the same level of passion, and that wasn’t something that could just disappear.

Shindou looked relieved. “Okay… good! As long as we’re clear. I guess… I’ll see you tomorrow at the dock then.” He shifted awkwardly and then turned to leave.

“Just one thing,” Akira said suddenly. Hikaru paused.

“I asked you almost two years ago to let me watch you make a ristretto,” Akira said tentatively. “Do you think you could make one last cup?”

Hikaru stared at him and smiled ruefully. “Touya…”

“Please. For me,” Akira added.

“For you?” Shindou repeated. Akira felt his face heat up. Why did he say that? It was too late to go back now.

“Yeah, for me,” he said firmly.

Shindou seemed lost in thought as he stood there quietly. It was sweltering in the windowless room, but Akira barely noticed the heat as he waited for Shindou’s answer.

Finally he replied. “Fine. You’ll see for yourself, I guess.”

What did he mean by that? What did Shindou mean by anything, ever? Akira shook his head as he followed him back to the bar.

“Signor Vianello! Would it be alright if my friend uses the espresso machine, just to make one cup? I promise you he knows how to use it,” Akira asked, a bit too loudly. To his surprise, Signor Vianello clapped his back fondly.

“Do whatever you’d like!” he chuckled. “I’ll go check on your latest roast.”

Shindou stood in front of the small vintage espresso machine. He placed his hand on it and took several deep, shaky breaths. His face was contorted with pain and Akira began to regret his request. Finally, he sighed and filled the grinder.

Despite Shindou’s clear apprehension, his hands moved fluidly over the machine. Akira noticed his lips moving silently several times as he worked. Shindou was steady and focused; he knew exactly what he was doing. A smooth stream of espresso began to fill the small demitasse, quickly transforming into a bright, even layer of crema.

It wasn’t the ristretto Hikaru had made for him when they first met two years ago at Cafe Meijin, but Akira could still sense the hand that had made that brew along with the Shindou he knew so well now.

“ _There’s no doubt. You are my eternal rival_ ,” Akira resolved to himself as he watched Shindou stop the extraction at just the right moment.

To his surprise, Shindou dropped his head and placed both hands on the counter. His fists were clenched and his shoulders were shaking. Was he… was he crying?

“This is where you were all along,” Shindou whispered to himself.

Teardrops fell silently onto the counter. Akira hesitantly lifted his hand and stopped. What should he do? It was his fault— he had asked Shindou to do this.

After a long, agonizing minute, Shindou looked up and grinned. It was the old Shindou with that same cocky, mysterious smirk. He wiped his eyes hurriedly and glared at Akira.

“Touya! I won’t quit making coffee! I’ll make thousands of cups from now on! I’ll walk this path forever!” Shindou shouted angrily, as if daring him to argue.

Akira narrowed his eyes. Now he knew exactly what to say.

“Come after me, Shindou!” he fired back.

* * *

_“Ugh, Touya, this batch of yours is way too burnt. Why did you even give this to me to brew?!”_

_“It’s called a_ dark _roast for a reason, Shindou. And there’s no excuse to drown it in that much milk and sugar!”_

 _“Baka, it’s called a_ latte _for a reason. I thought you’re the one who's supposed to know Italian.”_

_“Ba-baka?! ‘Latte’ just means milk! There’s no such thing as a latte drink in Italy!”_

“Looks like it’s starting up again,” Marco chuckled at the two scowling boys at the back of the shop by the espresso machine. He placed two packages of roasted beans on the counter. “Still, it must be worth it to have two new helpers, even if they fight in Japanese all the time. I’ve never seen so many customers here.”

Luciano grinned as he rang up the order. “I admire their spirit! It makes me feel young again too,” he said, laughing.

“It must be a high-level debate, since their coffee is so good,” Giovanni mused, leaning on the bar next to Marco. “I used to come here just to buy your roasts, but now I come here for their drinks.”

“Well… high-level is not quite how I would put it,” Luciano said, chuckling.

“Do you understand Japanese??” Marco asked, shocked.

“I don’t need to. You’ll see for yourself,” he replied.

“ _BAKA_!” Hikaru shouted and stomped towards the back room. Akira retorted angrily, but Hikaru shoved his fingers in his ears and chanted “ _BAKA! BAKA! BAKA! BAKA!_ ” while shaking his head. Akira ran after him.

“They fight like children!” Marco snickered. He tucked the coffee beans away in his bag. “Well, I’ll be back tomorrow. There’s nowhere else in Venice where I can enjoy such good coffee and entertainment.”

Giovanni frowned. “You said that the kid with the long hair is the Japanese Barista Champion’s son, right? I can see why he’s training here, but why the other one? I don’t see any of his roasts available. Is he that bad at it?”

Luciano saw Akira freeze and walk towards them. He shook his head at Giovanni but it was already too late.

“No matter how strong you are, everyone has to start off as a beginner!” Akira declared forcefully in Italian, suddenly appearing next to them. Giovanni flinched.

“Don’t underestimate Shindou just because he’s new to roasting!” Akira said as he glared and strode away.

“Weren’t they just fighting?” Giovanni whispered. Luciano shrugged.

Later that afternoon, Luciano waved them goodbye from the door as they headed towards the ferry together. The shop was enveloped in a familiar silence once more, but Luciano found himself missing their lively energy. They reminded him of when his children had spent all their time playing at the shop and getting underfoot. Chiara had managed to keep them in line while pulling beautiful shots of espresso at the bar while he spent most of his time roasting in the back room. Even now, he thought he could hear the echo of their footsteps and her chiding laughter in the stillness of the small coffee shop.

His memories have been his closest companion since Chiara passed away and the children moved to other cities, but he hadn’t realized that he had been living alone with ghosts for too long until Kouyou’s son came to stay with him.

Young Akira was just like his father was when he had started his apprenticeship— polite, earnest, talented, and overly restrained. Kouyou had brewed coffee with careful, calculating precision and it took Luciano almost a whole year to break him out of it. From the beginning, Kouyou was far too cautious and relied on his meticulous notes to make safe, reliable roasts. It was clear that he had talent— it usually took a roaster years to learn how to deliver that kind of consistency— but Kouyou needed to learn that roasting required heat, passion, and the willingness to push limits and fail repeatedly.

Luciano was only seven years older than Kouyou and he was not a patient teacher back then. It seemed as if he and Kouyou had spent that whole year arguing with each other, but he couldn’t deny that they had made some truly beautiful coffee together. Luciano chuckled at the memory. He was sure that Akira would be shocked to know that his easygoing teacher and taciturn father spent most of their time together in furious shouting matches.

When Akira came to him, he realized that the boy had that same rigid approach to coffee, but Luciano had softened over the years and he worried about how to best bring out Akira’s potential. It was as complex and delicate as the art of _torrefazione_ , coffee-roasting, except he could not bring himself to risk making a mistake with the son of his dear friend.

Then Akira started to spend his afternoons with a new friend and began to char most of his roasts, but when he did get them right, the quality was astonishing. When Akira finally brought his friend, Hikaru, to the shop, Luciano understood what had happened and was enormously relieved— these two would bring out the fire in each other with hardly any intervention on his part.

It had been two weeks since he had invited Hikaru to train at his coffee shop as well. Some of his regulars complained about their noisy fights and Luciano hardly understood their exchanges, but he knew that they were good for each other and good for him too. These two had a bright future ahead of them, but there was life left in Luciano too. There were new blends to create and new coffee sources to discover. Luciano would not become complacent in his old age. What would Kouyou say if he did!

Perhaps even the Divine Brew was still within his grasp. Luciano laughed loudly to himself and his mirth echoed in the quiet coffee shop.

“Kouyou… are you still chasing that dream too? If so, I won’t give up without a fight either,” Luciano said, smiling to himself. For the first time in a long while, the future seemed as radiant as the past.

* * *

“I still can’t believe you don’t name your roasts,” Hikaru complained as he and Touya ducked through the crowded Piazza San Marco under a shared umbrella. “Naming stuff is the _best part_ of making stuff! It’s almost the whole point!”

“Oh, like your cheesy coffee puns? Yeah, I know about those. I prefer not to cheapen the quality of my work with silly wordplay,” Touya countered.

He grabbed Hikaru’s arm as they navigated through the crowd. “Stay close to me and don’t wander off. I know how all these pigeons freak you out.”

“I’m not _scared_ of them, geez. Why are there so many of them though?!” Hikaru whined, but he held on to Touya’s arm and pressed closer to him under their shared umbrella. As they walked past Caffè Florian, Hikaru unconsciously tightened his grip. Even though he had made peace with Sai’s memory, he couldn’t bring himself to go inside that coffee shop again. Touya glanced at him and then at the coffee shop. He squeezed his hand back but didn’t say anything.

Since it was raining, they quickly hurried to Caffè Luciano without making any detours this time. Signor Vianello greeted them with a broad grin as usual. Hikaru took his place behind the counter and Akira helped him brew since they were sure to have extra customers due to the weather.

The afternoon flew by quickly. Just like he had been doing for the past month, Hikaru made shot after shot and practiced his Italian with the customers. When the flow of customers trickled, he and Akira went into the back room to practice roasting with Signor Vianello. Hikaru was still mostly observing the roasting process, but Signor Vianello said he would begin letting Hikaru make his own roasts soon. In the meantime, he was learning a lot from watching the process and making drinks at the bar. Signor Vianello even complimented him on how well he got along with the customers, which was amazing considering that he still barely spoke any Italian. He was happy to let his latte art do most of the talking for him though.

Later that afternoon, Hikaru sat behind the bar and rested his chin on his fist as he watched the rain pour steadily outside the window. Touya had been fixated on perfecting a particularly dark roast all afternoon and Hikaru had gotten bored of watching him burn batch after batch.

As much as he enjoyed learning how to roast, Hikaru felt most comfortable behind the espresso machine. He could feel Sai’s presence in every cup he made, even more now that he was improving and becoming closer to Sai’s skill. As his hands moved over the machine, he could almost hear Sai’s gentle encouragement and sense his watchful gaze. Hikaru had searched for Sai for so long, but the only way to find Sai again was to brew.

It was funny though… since he was so busy these days, he didn’t actively think of Sai as often anymore. When he first realized it, he was worried, but it just meant that he wasn’t scared or lost anymore. Hikaru knew that Sai was in his brew and he would spend the rest of his life honoring his memory. Still, he felt bad for Touya. Hikaru didn’t know how to explain Sai to him, so he hoped Touya would stop chasing him someday too.

Touya finally emerged from the back room, just as Hikaru was thinking of going in there to bug him about dinner. Several strands of long hair were plastered to his face from sweat and his eyes had a manic gleam of triumph.

“Took you long enough,” Hikaru drawled. Touya placed a small container of dark, glistening beans on the counter and raised his eyebrows expectantly. Hikaru smirked as he stood up and poured the beans into the grinder.

His smirk soon faded as an overpoweringly delicious aroma emerged from the freshly ground beans.

“Touya, you really outdid yourself this time!” Hikaru exclaimed.

“Go on, brew it,” Touya urged.

“Okay, okay,” Hikaru muttered, but he couldn’t hide his eagerness as he tamped the portafilter and inserted the puck into the espresso machine. The espresso extracted into two waiting demitasses. Hikaru gave one to Touya and quickly drank his own.

The coffee was incredibly intense, but smooth, and there were refined hints of jasmine. It was elegantly restrained with all the impact of a perfectly executed dark roast. In other words… it was _incredible_.

As Hikaru stared at him in awe, Touya explained, “I took notes on all the things you complained or said you liked about my roasts and tried to see if I could make something that would exactly match your tastes. Still, you had to be the one to brew it to make it taste right. How is it? You usually have a lot to criticize about my roasts.”

“I _love_ your coffee, Touya. I really, really do. And this one especially,” Hikaru said frankly.

Touya beamed. Even though he did that more readily these days, Hikaru was still taken aback by how different he looked when he smiled.

“I was thinking about naming this one,” Touya added hesitantly. “I…when I was making it, I couldn’t help thinking of it as ‘Sai’s blend.’ Would that be okay?”

Hikaru felt heat surge into his cheeks as Touya watched him nervously. Just as Hikaru brewed while thinking of what Sai would tell him, he’d unconsciously given Touya feedback on his roasts the same way.

“You said you couldn’t be anyone but yourself, but since I know you best, I know that isn’t quite true,” Touya mused quietly. “Sometimes it seems like there’s another person inside you and I still see hints of him even now.”

“ _Sai… Touya found you after all!_ ” Hikaru thought, and fought the urge to either laugh or cry. “ _Someone else knows who you are!_ ”

Touya looked away and shook his head. “I’m saying weird things that I shouldn’t be. Anyway, I’m glad you like it.”

Hikaru looked appraisingly down at the cup. “Hmm… he would say it was still a bit too acidic. Maybe you roasted it just a little too long.”

Touya looked up in complete shock. “What?! ‘ _He’_?! What are you talking about?”

“Oh, the ‘other person inside me,’ like you said,” Hikaru replied sarcastically. “I might tell you all about him someday.”

“Don’t make fun of me. Wait, are you joking or not? I can’t tell. You can’t make me promise not to ask and then say something like that!” Touya grabbed his hand as Hikaru tried to slip away from the bar.

“I said someday, idiot! We have the rest of our lives together after all!” Hikaru snapped.

Touya froze when he heard that. So did Hikaru. He looked down and Touya was still holding his hand… oh.

Hikaru watched as Touya spread his fingers and carefully laced them through Hikaru’s. He didn’t look nervous, but his palm was damp.

It felt… right, like it was always meant to happen. Just like when Sai appeared to him one day and changed his life forever, Hikaru didn’t think to question things like this. Instead, he tightened his grip.

“Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere,” Hikaru said simply.

* * *

Akira watched Shindou slowly wipe the bar with increasing irritation.

“If you’re going to take that long, I might as well do it for you!” Akira snapped. “We should get down to the canal early before all the tourists show up.”

Shindou sighed. “It’s just weird that this is one of the last times I’ll be doing this. I feel like I’ve been here for ages.”

“We’re not leaving until Monday, idiot. And you’re welcome to do all the cleaning until then,” Akira sighed. He went ahead and grabbed the cloth while Shindou was distracted. “Alright, let’s go.”

They waved goodbye to Signor Vianello and headed off toward the Grand Canal. Since they were both leaving soon, Signor Vianello treated them to gondola tickets, just like he did with Ashiwara-san months ago. It was a beautiful clear night and they found themselves naturally slowing their pace to enjoy it. They were alone on the walking path to the vaporetto dock. Shindou had his arm looped around Akira’s waist like it’d always been there.

“You’re lucky that you don’t have to go back to school,” Shindou said enviously. “How long do you think it’ll be before your Dad retires and you take over his shop?”

Akira sighed. “Well, I don’t know about that anymore. I’m sure my father didn’t intend for this, but since I’ve been here, I’ve realized that I don’t want to be in his shadow anymore. I want to stand on my own two feet, even though I’m grateful for all he’s done for me and I owe so much to him. I’m not sure what my next steps are, but…” He looked down at Shindou and smiled. “I’m not too worried about it.”

Shindou leaned against Akira’s shoulder and sighed knowingly. “Yeah, I can _completely_ relate to that.”

“Really? Is your father the same way?” Akira had heard Shindou mention his mother a few times, but never his father.

“Uhhh… something like that,” Shindou murmured. Suddenly, his other hand cupped the back of Akira’s head and he softly pressed their lips together. Akira was glad that there wasn’t anyone else on the street, because he wasn’t going to let Shindou get away with just one. A hint of his latest sweet, light roast lingered between them as they kissed and Akira couldn’t tell whether it came from him or Shindou. He decided he liked it better that way.

“Yeah, we’re definitely going to be late at this point,” Akira whispered when they broke for air. “Tourists everywhere. It’s going to be awful.”

“Oh yeah, why are we even bothering with the Grand Canal? It’d make a lot more sense to go to one of the smaller side canals like by the Dorsoduro Bridge where there’s just as good of a view,” Shindou muttered.

“Oh… you’re right!” Akira balked. “You’re terrible at geography. How did you—” He was so shocked that he couldn’t react when Shindou reached for him again. Well, it was fine. They had plenty of time after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're not done yet! Keep reading for a bonus epilogue!


	10. Espresso Weekly: A Tempest in a Coffee Mug?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Special Epilogue
> 
> Images/Artwork by Hestia Luna

**A Tempest in a Coffee Mug?!**

_Espresso Weekly reviews Kami no Latte, a hot new coffee shop in Tokyo that's been taking Japan's coffee scene by storm!_

_By Kosemura_

* * *

"Got a lot on your grind? You've got a blend in us!"

Despite the light-hearted sign that welcomes visitors as they walk through the doors of Kami no Latte, its young proprietors, Touya Akira and Shindou Hikaru, share the lofty goal of making Japan as famous for its coffee as it is for its tea. And judging from the ever-present long lines, it looks like plenty of Japan's coffee drinkers are willing to help them succeed!

The two owners have several things in common: they're both 27 years old,  they’ve honed their skills at top coffee shops in Japan, as well as in Italy, and they're equally as crazy about coffee as they are about each other. But perhaps the commonalities end there.

Kami no Latte is small and inviting, with an eclectic black-and-white-themed decor that reflects the dueling personalities that run the shop. Simple wooden tables are set with an assortment of vintage stools and armchairs, apparent thrift store finds. A traditional kotatsu in the back is especially popular in the winter among children, who borrow manga from a repurposed red refrigerator nearby.

Shindou-san can often be seen at the counter greeting customers by name and remembering their favorite drinks. When Touya-san isn't helping him brew, he's usually in the back roasting and packaging coffee beans, which sell out daily.

Prior to joining forces, both baristas built impressive reputations for themselves:

Touya Akira is a former Young Roasters Champion who trained at Café Meijin under his father, Touya Kouyou, more popularly known as Touya Meijin, the long-time reigning Japanese Barista Champion. After Touya Akira learned how to roast coffee under the tutelage of Luciano Vianello, an Italian master roaster, Café Meijin quickly started to become popular for its proprietary beans as well.

Shindou Hikaru made a name for himself as a prodigy latte artist at Honinbrew and his extensive latte art blog has over 10,000 followers. His unique sense of humor and approachable demeanor has also made him a popular guest on television variety shows. He has recently gone on to represent Japan in the World Latte Artist Championship in Seoul, South Korea.

With their combined skills under one roof, it’s no wonder that Kami no Latte became extremely popular immediately upon opening. Wait times can be quite long and there’s rarely an empty seat. While many coffee shops specialize in drink preparation or specialty roasts, It’s difficult to put Kami no Latte in only one category. For example, their namesake latte features an exquisitely poured rosetta atop a freshly made earthy, dark roast with hints of genmai and green tea. I don’t know what more I could want from a latte!

However, a quick survey with several regulars revealed that the excellent coffee isn't their only reason for visiting the shop so frequently…

"I always say that tea is completely superior to coffee in every way, so why do I come here? To watch them bicker,  _obviously_ ," said Kaga Tetsuo, manager of Shougicha, a popular tea salon in the same neighborhood as Kami no Latte. "It's the highlight of my day."

According to Kadowaki Tatsuhiko, a barista at the Kifu Cafe, they serve as a source of inspiration: "I started coming here because Shindou-kun made a couple lattes that completely blew my mind back when he used to work at Honinbrew. I mean, I was an aspiring barista back then too and it seriously shook my confidence to see a kid that much younger than me pull shots that well. He's still making good coffee here, although maybe not as good as I remembered, but now I come for all the hilarious insults the two of them throw at each other. I save the really good ones in my journal. Want to see?"

Fujisaki Akari, a childhood friend of Shindou-san who regularly visits the shop, had this anecdote to share: "Hikaru had a sore throat one day and lost his voice. I thought it'd be a quiet day for once, but instead, he made a pea-shooter out of some straws and shot coffee beans at Touya-kun all afternoon. I don't think he'll ever grow up."

“After _years_ of me telling them ‘Get a shop, you two!’ they finally made it happen,” Waya Yoshitaka joked. He and Isumi Shinichirou, both past coworkers of Shindou-san, happened to be visiting that day. “I’m not surprised to see that their coffee shop is packed. They definitely bring out the best in each other, so I’m happy for them.” The sound of raised voices and crumpled coffee filters being hurled back and forth across the counter briefly distracted him. “Uhh… that is, the best _and_ the worst,” he added, rolling his eyes.

“Sometimes it's hard to remember that Shindou couldn't even steam milk when he first started working with us at Honninbrew,” Isumi-san remarked with a smile.

“I miss the days when we all worked at the same place, but as a friend I couldn't be prouder that he and Touya have had so much success opening their own shop. Of course, Waya and I still plan on beating them in the next Hokuto Cup Tournament.”

We had the opportunity to sit down with the hard-working owners of Kami no Latte and talk to them about their passion for coffee and how it brought them together:

* * *

**Thanks for meeting with us!**

Shindou: No problem! Thanks for writing about us!

**We heard that you two were rivals in the past. Could you tell us more?**

Shindou: Um, it's not a  _past_  rivalry. Touya is definitely still my rival.

Touya: Same here. One of the main reasons why I wanted to work with him is so that I could monitor his skill more easily. I realized early on that I have to judge Shindou's skill for myself.

Shindou: And I work with him because no one else would be able put up with his mood swings depending on how well he's roasting that day. It's like trying to clear out a clogged steam wand and hoping it doesn't explode, but worse.

Touya: Shindou! Don't make me roast  _you_.

**Ha ha, thanks for the clarification! Can you explain how you first met?**

Touya: Shindou interviewed for a job at Café Meijin when we were college freshmen and he dumped hot chocolate powder into my espresso shot. That's the kind of thing that sticks with you.

Shindou: It was a prototype mocha.

**It certainly would be hard to forget something like that! Shindou-san, I heard that you only learned how to make coffee when you were in college and now you run a popular coffee shop. How would you explain your success?**

Shindou: Well, I've always felt that we have a lot to learn from the master baristas of the past and I trained with that in mind. Since then, my goal has been to link the far past with the far future.

Touya: Shindou, I really wish you would answer that question clearly for once.

**Many baristas say they aspire to create the "Divine Brew," which does sound pretty mystical. Does that explain your coffee shop name?**

Touya: My father is quite fond of playing go in his rare free time, and he told me that go players chase after something similar called "kami no itte." I mentioned that to Shindou one day and well… I shouldn't have been surprised at what happened next. I did think it had a nice ring to it though.

**That's right, I noticed the incredibly creative drink names on the menu. Very impressive!**

Shindou: You hear that, Touya?

Touya: For the record, I had nothing to do with them.

**What are some of your favorites, Shindou-san?**

Shindou: Well, it's  _very_  difficult to narrow them down to just a few, but I'm particularly fond of "Brewed Awakening," which is a double macchiato made with Touya's strongest roast. My other favorite is the opposite of that— we call a decaf coffee here a "Despresso"! Oh yeah, did you see the sign I put by the take-out counter?

**I don't see a sign…**

Shindou: Touya, I told you to stop taking it down! Anyway, it said—

Touya: Please don't print this part.

Shindou: "Espresso Lane!" Get it?

**Got it! One last question: What makes your partnership work, especially since you're such different people?**

Touya: As long as Shindou is working hard to surpass me, I can't let up either. Which is to say, we push each other to be our best. We have a strong blend of skills and we both take our coffee  _very_  seriously.

Shindou: It's true. I just take mine with a lot more milk and sugar. Also, did you say "strong blend"?

Touya: … Oh god. This is what happens when we spend too much time together.

**Many baristas dream of opening their own shop and becoming as wildly successful as you are. What's next for you two?**

Touya: Even though we were excited to have finally opened our coffee shop, this isn't the end. We have a long way to go, but we'll make it there together.

**How about you, Shindou-san?**

Shindou: I don't know when we'll ever make the time since we're so busy these days, but I'm hoping to make some amazing wedding bell latte art  someday soon.

**We'll certainly toast our mugs to you both when you do! Thank you so much for your time.**

We're thrilled to give Kami no Latte five steaming mugs! Best of luck to this new coffee shop, where coffee isn't the only thing that brewing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Of course these two dorks opened a coffee shop together in the end. :)
> 
> Finally, Hikaru no Joe is complete! Thanks to everyone for supporting me and this fic during its nine-month run, especially my friend and master beta, [caminante](http://archiveofourown.org/users/caminante/pseuds/caminante), who has been the absolute best friend and beta I could have ever asked for. She's the reason I began writing this fic as a gift to her and since then, has spent countless hours refining multiple drafts, checking for proper characterization, fine-tuning every sentence and bit of grammar, and pushing me through writing slumps and hurdles, all for the sake of making this story as good as it could possible be! 
> 
> I'm planning to write a proper reflection on the experience of writing this series on my [Dreamwidth fandom blog](http://hestialuna.dreamwidth.org/), so if you're interested in reading that as well as receiving updates on my future fics, please feel free to friend me on DW! I'm also on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/hestialuna).
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking through with this to the end! If you'd like to share your thoughts on this fic, I would be very glad to hear them in the comments!!


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